Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) today said that incoming Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Arturo Brion must initiate talks with various labor groups.

Effective July 3, Brion will be leading the Department and will be replacing Sec. Patricia Sto. Tomas.

"Sec. Brion must call for a dialogue with labor groups in the soonest time possible," said KMU Spokesperson Presto Suyat.

"As the incoming new Labor Secretary, it is his job to introduce himself and make his plans for the Department known to workers. Brion's first order of the day is to meet workers and labor leaders and know the sector's situation, grievances and demands to the department."

"He must first talk to workers and labor representatives and not to employers and business groups. After all, he will be heading DoLE for the next four years, and DoLE is supposed to protect the interests and advance the conditions of the Filipino workforce," Suyat further said.

"We are ready to talk to Sec. Brion and know his programs and plan of actions concerning the workers' interests particularly the P125 legislated wage hike which was again sidetracked by Malacanang and the House of Representatives."

"We will present to him the agenda and demands of the labor sector including our urgent demand for economic relief, among other issues including the massive violation of labor standards, labor contractualization perpetuated by many businesses, occupational health and safety issues, repression among trade unions, criminalization of labor disputes, killing of labor leaders and unionists and many more issues. Also, maybe he can do something about the hundreds of labor cases now pending at the Court of Appeals. He's got a full load of work to accomplish at DoLE."