Take side of workers, not employers — Maso

AS THEY wait for the contractualization policy of the Duterte administration, workers on Friday reminded Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Secretary Silvestre Bello III that he was appointed to his post to side with the laborers and not with businessmen.

In a statement, labor group Manggagawang Sosyalista (Maso) reminded Bello of his mandate when he was designated as Dole chief by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The workers call on Bello to take the sides of the workers rather than adopt a flimsy seemingly neutral stance on the nefarious employment scheme that has led to a cheap and docile labor force,” said Maso Chairman Lino Brin.

“Bello should act, not just as the alter-ego of Duterte, who has promised to stop contractualization during the electoral campaign, but as the representative of labor,” he said.

Instead of attempting to balance the concerns of workers and employers, the labor leader said it would be better if the concerns of the latter will just be left with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“He should leave the DTI secretary to be the champion of investors. The last time we checked, the Dole is not named Department of Labor and Employers” said Brin.

To recall, Duterte had vowed to stop contractualization once he is elected as President of the Philippines.

But according to Bello, Duterte was only referring to illegal forms of contractualization, such as “endo” and “5-5-5,” saying the Labor Code of the Philippines clearly allows some forms of contractualization.