Militants blast DOLE for failure to stop ‘Endo’
Five days before the annual Mega Job Fair, militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in Northern Mindanao is calling out the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for its failure to put an end to the ‘labor-only contracting’ scheme of big firms.
Wildon Barros, KMU-NMR spokesperson, said the region’s top-earning corporations such as the Del Monte, Nestle, Holcim, La Farge, Coca-Cola among others, are top violators of labor laws which protects workers.
“We are challenging DOLERegion
10 to be sincere and true to its inspections and really impose sanctions against companies that continue to practice this scheme,” Barros said.
Barros said a group of workers from Del Monte Philippines came to them and complained that most of the employees under the company are handled by 7 to 10 agencies. Barros alleged that some of these agencies are also owned by Del Monte, which they said, is a glaring violation of the labor laws.
Barros also tagged Nestle as allegedly having six agencies which utilize a similar arrangement.
The DOLE’s Department Order 174 prohibits labor-only contracting but allows strict regulation of ‘legal’ contracting and subcontracting arrangements.
Department Order 183, on the other hand, authorizes the DOLE to conduct routine inspections on establishments engaged in contracting and subcontracting arrangements.
A week ago, President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he would no longer issue an executive order to stop ‘endo’ or end of contract and that he is leaving it up to Congress to pass a law instead.
Barros, meanwhile, urged workers who feel abused by their employers to take part in a rally they are organizing this May 1.
“Among giaghat ang tanang mamumuong biktima sa ENDO ug tanang biktima
sa unfair labor practice sa private ug public sector nga mosalmot sa
lihok-protesta karung May 1, adlaw sa anak sa buhat (We are urging all victims of ENDO and unfair labor practice to join us this May 1, the labor day). Atong ipakita ang atong panaghiusa ug kusog aron isinggit nga wagtangon na ang ENDO, isabalaod ang national minimum wage nga P750/ day para sa prbado ug P16,000/mo para sa government ng trabao ug ibasura ang TRAIN law (We will show our force and unity to call to put an end to ENDO, and impose a national minimum wage worth P750/day for private workers and P16,000 per month for government work, and trash the TRAIN Law,” Barros said.
On the same day, DOLE announced that 9,961 job vacancies are up for the job fair in Limketkai Mall Atrium in Cagayan de Oro this May 1, DOLE regional director Joffrey Suyao said.
Suyao said 5,541 will be available for local employment from 60 participating private companies while some 2,305 job vacancies are up for application for overseas work.