A labor group hit the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday over its alleged attempts to delay the signing of the pending executive order (EO) on contractualization. During its chance meeting on Monday with Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, the Partido Manggagawa (PM) failed to make the DOLE chief “categorically commit” to their version of the EO.
Instead, PM Chairman Renato Magtubo said, Bello disclosed he is now in the process of consulting the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on the matter.
“Why would they have to consult the DTI when the President asked for the version of the EO of the labor groups?” Magtubo said in a phone interview.
“We are concerned with this development since it might prolong the process [for the approval of the EO]. This may lead to the approval of its watered-down version,” he added.
PM held a simultaneous demonstration at the DOLE offices in Intramuros in Manila, Calamba in Laguna, Cebu City, Iloilo City, Bacolod and Davao City to call on the government to finally stop widespread contractualization through their proposed EO.
It was during the protest in Intramuros where Magtubo and Bello were able to discuss the pending EO.
“We will continue to step up our protest until the next meeting,” Magtubo said.
The PM, along with other labor-group affiliates of the coalition Nagkaisa and militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), will push for the signing of the EO during their next meeting with Duterte on March 15.
“During our meeting [on March] 15, we expect the President to finally sign the EO and not just another dialogue,” Magtubo added.
The labor version of the EO prohibits contractualization except in professions to be determined by the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.
In his previous meeting with labor groups on February 7, Duterte asked for more time from labor groups so he can review the legality and impact of the proposed EO to the economy.