KMU, labor advocates, religious groups unite for wage hike, econ relief, other Labor Day fighting demands

KMU leaders, together with labor advocates, held a round table discussion with various religious organizations today to forge unities on advancing worker’s rights amidst worsening economic crisis, and Malacañang’s “no wage hike” announcement for Labor Day.

“It is everyone’s calling to heed the cries of the suffering, and to seek justice where it is due. May 1 is a day for all of us to uphold equality, justice, and freedom for all people,” said Wilson Baldonaza.

Below are the major points that religious leaders and worker’s groups have tackled:

Job security
Review all cases of displacements, wage cuts, and excessive flexible labor practices with the employer citing the global economic crisis as primary factor to check for due process and legitimacy. Review cases of OFW retrenchments and deportments as well. Monitor companies who plan or threaten to implement dismissals and ardous flexible labor arrangements.

Support the regularization of workers. Fight against the massive contractualization, casualization, and other temporary forms of employment that depresses workers’ wages and benefits.

Assistance to displaced workers
Fight for the need to immediately extend the P10,000 worth of financial aid to the displaced workers. Ensure the easy and immediate grant to all workers of the benefits due to them by their social and insurance systems, and their separation pays and other entitlements from their employers. Secure funds of public social securities such as SSS, GSIS, for direct and sole assistance to its membership only.

Ensure that displaced OFWs obtain full compensation, placement fee and air transportation reimbursements, payment for unexpired portion of contracts, among others.

Wages
Call for the immediate hearing and passage of House Bill 1722 that would legislate nationwide substantial wage hikes.

Prevent massive and illegitimate imposition of wage cuts, reduction of work shift and hours, long working hours without overtime pay, and deduction of other due wages and benefits.