THE Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition yesterday reiterated their call for the immediate creation of a presidential commission on Freedom of Association (FOA) to guarantee the right to unionize, empower workers and address ongoing human and trade union rights violations.
In a statement, the FFW said all of the country’s trade unions have collectively recommended in the recent International Labor Organization-High Level Tripartite Mission (ILO-HLTM) the creation of the presidential body on FOA after workers expressed deep concern about the killings of 68 trade union leaders and hundreds of other violations of trade union rights in the country.
The creation of the presidential commission is the principal recommendation of the ILO-HLTM, whose final report was formally submitted to the Philippine government at the end of March.
The proposed commission was discussed by workers and employers, who expressed no opposition to the body, with the Office of the Secretary of Labor, but no definitive action has been taken by the government on this recommendation, yet.
“Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is scheduled to meet with US President Joe Biden on Labor Day, so FFW hopes that both heads of state will seize the opportunity to discuss FOA,” said Jun Mendoza Ramirez, FFW vice president.
“The FFW encourages President Marcos to compare notes with President Biden on the Biden-Harris Presidential Task Force to Empower Workers, which has implemented several significant measures to strengthen the rights of the American workers.”
The ILO-HLTM was in the Philippines from January 23-26 this year.
“The presidential body suggested by Philippine trade unions is similar to, if not the same, as that of the Biden-Harris’ Presidential Task Force,” said Arlene Degayo Golloso, Union President of the Ateneo de Davao Teachers and Academic Union-FFW.
Earlier, Biden had emphasized that “unions built the middle class,” and as America rebuilds, unions can help in the process. The Task Force, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, submitted over 70 recommendations in February 2022 for tools that Executive Branch agencies could use to reduce barriers to worker organizing and position the federal government as a model employer.
By March 2023, the Task Force announced that agencies had advanced these recommendations, resulting in significant achievements both within and outside the government. Union membership increased by 20% in Federal agencies.
The trade unions said the Philippines can adopt some of these measures like ensuring that government programs have strong job quality standards, where possible, including regularization of contract of service or job order employees, and public employment, including more infrastructure projects.
