When German workers demand pay increase, they shout “Taten, nicht Worte.” In English, “we need action, not words.” Here, we have a glut of words, an oversupply of promises and a shortage of deeds. Thus, officials have vowed to improve the lives of workers but have denied their right to collective bargaining, threatening to assume jurisdiction in labor disputes while giving them a pittance through the crumbs approved by regional wage boards.
German workers recently won decent wage increases and state employees have gained salary hikes, not because of the generosity of huge corporations and the federal government but because of the unstinting struggle at workplaces and bargaining tables. In short, they were all at the table and not at the menu to became the prey of predators. Now, politicians who have been seeking votes are eerily silent as to why no one among these bleeding hearts has offered any semblance of support to the already reed-thin demand for a P200 across-the-board wage increase, with Marcos Jr. refusing to declare the proposed pay hike as urgent.
But then, Marcos Jr., is made of the same cloth as the Labor Secretary Benny Laguesma, who wants to assume jurisdiction over labor disputes, particularly those involving big domestic and foreign corporations. Without that “urgent” tag, lawmakers are expected to take their sweet matutinal, crepuscular and nocturnal time to make millions of workers wait. But Filipino workers are fighting back, and they will continue to press for the P200 legislated wage increase in the streets, in political rallies, and in any venue where people gather to listen.
Workers will be gathering at the University of the Philippines Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City to call for support from the people and make their case that raising wages will help ease their pain as the prices of food, fuel and prime commodities skyrocket. The All Workers Unity alliance will hold a press briefing at 10 a.m. at the hotel to respond to Marcos Jr,’s penny-pinching action and bring the issue to the entire nation. The alliance couldn’t find any rational argument to justify Marcos Jr.’s refusal to declare the proposed wage hike as urgent. However, boosting pork barrel through unprogrammed appropriations (UAs) and projects suddenly allotted to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was extremely urgent, along with three doleout programs for partylist groups.
All Workers Unity stressed that while the alliance is pushing for the P200 wage increase, it is also pushing for the implementation of a family living wage currently pegged at P1,200 per day nationwide. This is more important that the $5.6-billion that the government intends to spend in purchasing 16 F-16 fighter jobs from the US along with US missile systems, Israeli self-propelled artillery pieces, corvettes and frigates from South Korea. While soldiers had their benefits increased following the arrest of the unlamented ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, Filipino workers have never been granted the same generous treatment as men in uniform. Workers have toiled through thick and thin and they deserve better treatment as their wages have not kept up with inflation, which worsens because of wrong economic policies pursued by the Marcos Jr. administration.
The worker alliance is composed of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), COURAGE, Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), Piston, KILOS NA Manggagawa, Defend Jobs Philippines, Migrante International, Migrante Philippines, Kadamay, Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK), Alliance of Health Workers (AHW), Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), and the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN.) Apart from denouncing the Department of Labor and Employment for (DOLE) for being the toll of management, the workers will tackle the deterioration of working conditions, the harassment of unions in Nexperia Philippines and other companies, and the worsening economy.
The event comes as the All Workers Unity prepares for the May 1, 2025 celebration of Labor Day, when unions in both the private and public sectors press for better pay, improved working conditions and respect for labor rights, including the freedom to organize unions without harassment and bargain with management. The 13 organizations comprising All Workers Unity will also demand justice for all union organizers and labor leaders who have been murdered, abducted and disappeared. Moreover, the alliance called for support to unions in various universities and colleges that have filed notices of strike and those whose collective bargaining agreements have expired.
Workers have also called for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio even as the Senate leadership appears to agonize over the meaning of “forthwith,” which Senate President Chiz Escudero said should have been replaced by “immediately” to compel the Upper Chamber to commence Sara’s trial. The trial appears to be a trifle to him and Sara’s pals and is not so serious a business as to be initiated quickly, or “pronto.” Yet, “forthwith” means without delay, but the Senate is delaying it by means fair of foul. Workers have also demanded transparency in crafting the annual government budget to rid it of grease, as well as opening the deliberations of the bicameral conference committee (BCC) to prevent insertions in the enrolled copy of the annual general appropriations act. The power of the purse should be exercised by the very people who put the money in that purse: The taxpayers. (DIEGO MORRA)
