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Gov’t responsible for rising unemployment - KMU
Labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today said that the government’s dismal job generation scheme is to be blamed for the constantly growing unemployment rate.
Based on the data released by the National Statistics Office (NSC), the number of unemployed persons increased by 540,000 in July this year, putting the overall national unemployment rate to 12.7 percent.
“True enough, the US war largely affected the local economy, but instead of taking responsibility for its inadequacy to provide enough employment for the people, the Department on Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas blamed this dismal labor situation on bad weather. Her stint at DOLE is not even satisfactory. She’s responsible for the termination of thousands of striking workers. Her pro-capitalist tactics in resolving labor cases such as the issuance of Assumption of Jursidiction (AJ) and illegal strike declarations is responsible for massive retrenchments and lay-offs,” stressed KMU Secretary General Joel Maglunsod.
“Sending tens of thousands of workers overseas has been the government’s only way of resolving the perennial problem of local joblessness. Instead of dealing with the massive retrenchment happening in local companies, particularly small and medium enterprises, the DOLE even condones the contractualization scheme and other flexible labor policies adopted by employers. At present, large-scale companies like San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Long Distance Company and Meralco are replacing regular employees with thousands of low-paid contractual workers,” Maglunsod added.
Maglunsod blames the alarming unemployment situation for the very low wages and awful labor conditions that workers are forced to endure than be left unemployed.
The government targeted to create one million new jobs in the industry sector this year and now DOLE is pinning its hopes on the thriving call centers and techical support companies in the country. “Creating an army of call center operators is not a genuine solution to the worsening unemployment. The manufacturing sector has been on a constant slump due to the dumping of cheap, imported consumer goods in the local market. Hundreds of local small and micro enterprises were forced to close shop due to stiff competition.”
Maglunsod said they are pleased that the WTO Cancun round collapsed. “At least we will be temporarily spared from new agreements on trade and investments. But still, the Arroyo government must review its entire position on foreign economic impositions and break off entirely from the WTO for the sake of the Filipino people.”
Loren commits political suicide by endorsing Danding - SMC workers
Workers under the San Miguel Corporation Conglomerate expressed deep regret over the recent endorsement of Senator Loren Legarda on corporate giant Eduardo Cojuangco’s presidential ambitions for 2004. According to William Merene, Chairperson of Ilaw-Buklod Manggagawa (IBM-KMU) - federation of labor unions under the San Miguel Group of Companies - this gesture is a political suicide on Legarda’s part as a notable contender for major positions come election time.
“Danding Cojuangco is the number one enemy of Filipino workers. This has been proven eversince he began to control the San Miguel Corporation. The Senator’s endorsement makes her integrity and sincerity in serving the interests of workers and ordinary people, particularly the large number of peasants and coconut farmers, put into question,” explained Merene.
Merene said that their labor union and Legarda both supported the continuation of peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front. “Loren is an active participant in the campaign against human rights violations. Its remorseful for workers to see the senator in Cojuangco’s camp.”
Merene insisted that Cojuangco is the brain behind massive retrenchments in companies such as Monterey, La Tondeña Inc (renamed Ginebra San Miguel Inc), Magnolia Dairy Farm, and the illegal closure of Campo Carne.
Meanwhile, Merene registered his plea to business tycoon Cojuangco to keep out of the upcoming local union elections this Sept 19. “Just as Danding called for a fair and clean national elections, he must respect the union’s demand to have the same. The union elections is an intra-union activity that must be kept away from company maneuverings,” reiterated Merene. He also said that Cojuangco is already taking steps to ensure that a company union will replace the militant union headed by Merene.
“He’s actively trying to transform our union to his liking so that it will be easier for him to implement anti-worker policies in the company such as massive retrenchments, spin-offs, ‘product diversification’ and alleged ‘modernization’. Even if he would shell out large chunks of money, he will not succeed in taking the workers away from the genuine, militant and nationalist trade union of the IBM-KMU,” concluded Merene.
