Workers now condemned to ‘Rock salt diet’ -BMP

BMP

MEDIA RELEASE:

10 May 2011

Workers now condemned to ‘Rock salt diet’ - BMP

Militant labor center Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) today bewailed the recent decision of the NCR wage boards to grant an additional P22 cost-of-living allowance.

“This is not even a wage increase,” said Leody de Guzman, BMP President. He continued, “While the President is enjoying a rockstar lifestyle with his game consoles and Porsche, ordinary Filipino workers are made to suffer on a rock salt diet.”

The labor leader also explained that because COLA is not considered as part of the daily wage increase, this will not affect workers’ other remunerations like overtime pay, night differential, 13th month pay, among other things. Alluding to the softdrink flavor, de Guzman quipped, “This COLA adjustment is not even enough to buy a liter of cola.”

“What’s worse is that this order is peppered with exemptions. Included in the exemptions are companies recently affected by natural calamities as if their workers are also exempted from the economic crisis,” he continued.

According to the studies of BMP, an average Filipino family needs at least a thousand pesos a day to afford a decent lifestyle “beyond sardines and instant noodles.”

“No wonder, Aquino’s approval ratings plummeted from 64 to 46. We expect this to drop even more as his government continues to ignore the calls for fair increases in salaries and wages,” de Guzman concluded. ###

Militants assailed corrupt DOLE officials

Press Statement/Release

May 10, 2011

Militants assailed anew alleged corrupt Officials

hounding in the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

Hundreds of members of the BMP and its allied organizations trooped in front of the office of the Department of Labor and launched a rally to denounce over the recent so called “tainted decision” of the results of the Certification Election where 500 votes of the workers submitted by the Goldilocks management were approved and became part of the votes counted together with the 200 protest workers votes earlier contested. The 500 workers votes were not employees of the company.

“Something fishy is happening in the labor Department. The DOLE-NCR decision dated April 27, 2011, signed by Med. Arbiter Atty Simonete Colobocal and reaffirmed by Director Agravante was totally unthinkable and must be investigated. This is a case of corruption and a sell out, the handiwork of a mother and son tandem or a collusion of a mother and father.” Mr. Ronnie Luna, BMP Executive Vice President lamented during the rally.

The decision is a total neglect for the workers and a clear case of corruption. If this will continue, the labor ministry is guilty of a double whammy, injustice and unfairness.

“We are in unison with the DOLE’s crusade to fight corruption in the department. We are also supportive of the government’s efforts to get rid of officials in the same mold of Merciditas Guttierez in the Ombudsman. If this can be done in other government offices, then the floor is now given to Secretary Baldoz to start the clean up. Corrupt and abusive officials in the agency should go and spare no one.” Atty. Jimmy Miralles, Chairman of AGLO (Alliance of Genuine Labor Organization) lamented in the program held during the rally.

“The workers were at a loss in these trying hard times. More so they deserved to be protected and not reduce to being used as a tool for corruption. It is high time that the government should institute a system that will overhaul its manpower devoid of any corrupt and abusive public servants. In this way, the workers are assured of what Pnoy is flaunting, a straight path achieving decency of work.” Leody De Guzman, BMP President, articulated also in the same rally. (30)

PR - Proposed P22.00 ECOLA, an insult to Filipino Workers!

Press Statement/Release

May 10, 2011

Proposed P22.00 ECOLA of the NCR-RWB, an alms and an insult to the Filipino Workers!

The Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) pronouncement of the proposed P22.00 ECOLA by the NCR-RWB (National Capital Region-Regional Wage Board) is a far cry from NEDA and NSO’s study of around P967.00 daily cost of living for family of 6 to have a decent life. The present minimum wage is pegged by the National Wage Council of only 404.00 per day in the National Capital Region. On the other hand, much lower minimum wage is being enjoyed by workers outside the Metropolis. If applied in the National Capital Region, around P563.00 is needed to cope up the daily cost of living.

The P22.00 ECOLA will not be commensurate to the all time high inflation rate and the 29.2% price increases of prime commodities and basic expenses on electricity and water rates. The irony of it all is that big capitalists for the last three months were in the headlines making huge profits. In an earlier report, the top 1,000 corporations were raking in billions of pesos in profits since 2001 and were tripled in 2008 from P116 Billions in 2001 to P416.7 in 2008. Many Filipino billionaires were in fact cited in the Forbes Magazine’s Richest Men in the world.

The staggering downfall of the real wage as reflected in the Consumers’ Price Index (CFI) in the year 2000 data that for every peso spent of that year compared to this year, the value of P1.00 then is now pegged at P.60 Centavos. Roughly 10% will benefit the proposed additional ECOLA. In the past, loopholes in the implementation will again cropped-up because of too many exemptions and deferments. Above minimum wage earners and those employers with 10 workers and below were exempted from the proposed scheme. Not to mention those companies expected to present financial losses to enjoy some exemptions.

“We find the DOLE proposal as an insult to the Filipino workers. The scheme will not alleviate the plight of the workers now wallowing in poverty. The proposal is not meant to help the helpless Filipino workers but to appease and condone the whims and caprices of the greedy capitalists.” Leody De Guzman, BMP President asserted in an interview.

Mr. De Guzman further added that “The men and women of the DOLE should be reminded that they are running the agency to protect the cause of labor and not becoming alter ego and mouthpiece of big businesses and capitalists. If they can’t live up to the aspirations of the Filipino workers then they have no business manning the department. More so with the wage boards that should be ultimately abolished in favor of an increase through legislated mechanism. ”

For his part, Mr. Ronnie Luna, incumbent BMP Executive Vice President, challenged the P-noy administration and averred that “The scheme is not in consonance with the pronouncement of President Aquino during the Mayday Celebration where he proposed profit sharing as a means to achieve real productivity and progress of the country. In fact, the President himself believed that to enhance partnership of labor and capital, the best prescription would be profit sharing in order to ensure clean and honest governance to the people and the industry. This is what P-noy called the right path. So, Mr. Aquino, where is profit sharing here as exemplified by NCR-RWB ECOLA proposal? “. (30)

Limos at Insulto sa Manggagawa ang P22.00 ECOLA

Limos at Insulto sa Manggagawang Pilipino

ang P22.00 ECOLA ng NCR-RWB!

1. Malayo ang P22.00 ECOLA sa sinasabi ng NEDA at NSO na para daw makapamuhay ng maayos ang isang pamilya na may 6 na miyembro ay kailangang kumita ng halagang P967.00 kada araw. Ngunit ang kasalukuyang minimum na pasahod na itinatakda ng national wage council ay P404.00 lamang kada araw. Mas mababa ang sa mga regional wage board. Kung kaya kulang/kapos pa ng halagang P563.00

The Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) pronouncement of the proposed P22.00 ECOLA is a far cry from NEDA and NSO’s study of around P967.00 daily cost of living per day for family of 6 to have a decent life. The present minimum wage is pegged by the National Wage Council of only 404.00 per day in the National Capital Region. On the other hand, much lower minimum wage is being enjoyed by workers outside the Metropolis. If applied in the National Capital Region, around P563.00 is needed to cope up the daily cost of living.

2. Malayo ang P22.00 ECOLA kumpara sa 29.2% na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin na pangunahing kailangan ng mga manggagawa sa araw-araw. Gaya ng pagkain, bayarin sa serbisyo sa kuryente, tubig at iba pa.

The P22.00 ECOLA will not be commensurate to the all time high inflation rate and the 29.2% price increases of prime commodities and basic expenses on electricity and water rates.

3. Malayo ang P22.00 ECOLA sa pagdausdos ng tunay na halaga ng sahod ng mga manggagawa (Real Wage). Ayon naman sa datos ng Consumers Price Index (CPI) kung noong 2000 ay P1.00 ang halaga ng P1.00 sa ngayong 2011 ay nagkakahalaga na lamang ito ng P0.60 centavo.

The staggering downfall of the real wage as reflected in the Consumers’ Price Index (CPI) in the year 2000 data that for every peso spent of that year compared to this year, the value of P1.00 then is now pegged at 60.00 Centavos.

4. Malayo ang P22.00 ECOLA kumpara sa tinubo ng mga kapitalista. Datos ng Forbes Magasine. Ang 1000 Top Corporation sa ating bansa ay lumubo ang tubo/kita nito mula sa P116.4 bilyon noong 2001 tungo sa P416.7 bilyon noong 2001-2008 pa lamang.

5. Dagdag pa, halos 10% lamang ng mga manggagawa sa NCR ang makikinabang dito. Dahil sa dami ng probisyon sa exemption at deferment ng RWB. Ang mga above minimum ang sahod at mga employer na 10 pababa ng empleyado ay exempted sa P22.00 ECOLA ng RWB. Gayundin ang mga kapitalista na maghahain ng reverses losses ay exempted.

6. Kaugnay nito, sinusuportahan namin ang panukalang PROFIT SHARING ni P-NOY para maisakatuparan ang tunay na diwa ng PARTNERSHIP ng Paggawa at Puhunan para sa produktibidad at progreso ng ating lipunam. Para sa Matapat at Malinis na pamamahala sa ating pamahalaan at mga pagawaan! Ito ang MATUWID NA DAAN para sa hanay naming mga manggagawa. Nais naming ipaalala kay P-NOY, sa panahon ng krisis, higt na kailangan ang proteksyon ng mga manggagawang nagugutom at walang matirahan, kaysa iilang kapitalista na nagtatampisaw sa karangyaan sa buhay.

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

May 9, 2011

Kapabayaan at Korapsyon sa DOLE, Wakasan na!

Mga Kapatid sa Paggawa,

Ang laban ng Goldilocks ay matagal na nating sinubaybayan mula ng maitatag ang kanilang unyon hanggang umabot sa pagwewelga noong nakaraang taong 2010. Ang welga ay umabot sa dalawang linggo at nagkasundo ang magkabilang panig sa mga mahahalagang usapin na inihapag ng mga manggagawa. Ang kaugnay sa pagkilala sa unyon ng BISIG-AGLO sa pamamagitan ng paglulunsad ng Certification Election at reinstatement sa 127 iligal na tinanggal na mga manggagawa.

May pinagbatayang dahilan kung bakit humantong sila sa welga. Ang puno’t dulo ng lahat ay ang problema sa mga naunang desisyon na ang naging dahilan ay ang mismong paghusga ng ilang tiwaling opisyal sa NLRC na ang piket protest na inilunsad nila sa panahon na silay naka-ofF-duty noon ay ginawang illegal strike. Sa kabila na walang pormal na reklamo ang management sa NLRC ay naglabas ng Ilegal Strike Order ang NLRC. Garapal at hokus pokus ang order na ito ng NLRC, na siyang ikinatanggal ng 127 mga manggagawang opisyal at lider ng unyon

Tatlong (3) ulit ng naganap sa goldilocks ang Certification Election (CE). Una: Regular CE noong 2007, Ikalawa: Run-Off CE noong 2009 ng Bisig-Aglo at Buklod. Ikatlo: Kautusan ng Court Of Appeal na mag-Election na lang ulit ang mga nag-laban sa Run-Off Election na ginanap noong May 6, 2011 para ”once and for all” malutas na ang usapin sa CE at Representasyon sa CBA.

Ngunit hanggang sa kasalukuyan higit limang (5) taon na ay wala pa ding linaw ang resulta ng halalan. Ang pinakahuling Certification Election noong Mayo 6, 2011 sa atas (Order) ng Court Of Appeal. Para matuloy lamang ang matagal ng pagkabalam sa konstitusyunal na karapatan ng mga manggagawa sa pagtatayo ng unyon (CE) ay pumayag na tayong ituloy ang botohan at pag-usapan na lamang kung alin ang mga lihetimong boto ang dapat na bibilangin.

Ngunit muling gumala na naman ang mga ANAY sa loob ng Department of Labor. Ang sabwatan ng DOLE, Management ng Goldilocks at mga Pederasyong Fly By Night na mga tuta ng kapitalista at mga Aristokrata sa Paggawa. Muli na namang pinagkaperahan ang konstitusyunal na batayang karapatan ng mga manggagawa sa pagtatayo ng unyon, seguridad sa trabaho at pakikipag-CBA.

Lumabas ang husga ng DOLE-NCR noong April 27, 2011 na may lagda ni: Med. Arbiter Atty. Simonete Colobocal. Ang dating 200 Protech workers vote na nalagay na sa segregated vote at nahusgahan nang hindi kasali sa botong bibilangin noong 2009. At ang 500 manggagawa na wala naman sa list of voterts na isinumite ng Management sa DOLE, na hindi naman mga empleyado ng Goldilocks ay gusto na namang isali sa bibilangin boto.

Mga kasama, ang simpleng karapatan sa pagtatayo ng unyon ng mga manggagawa ng Goldilocks ay umaabot na ng limang (5) taon, ang kaso ay umaabot na sa Korte Suprema. Sa tatlong ulit na Certification Election (CE) hanggang sa ngayon ay wala pa din pinal na napoproklamang panalong unyon at SEBA. Ang patuloy na pagkaantala sa karapatan ng manggagawa na magtayo ng unyon, ang paulit ulit na CE at pag-abot ng kaso sa Korte Suprema, ang ating tanong? Pinaglalaruan at pinagkakaperahan ba ang mga kasong ito ng sabwatang Kapitalista, DOLE at mga Ferderasyong binubuo ng mga Aristokrata sa paggawa

Mga Kasama, Ang kaso ng Goldilocks, URC 41, PALEA at BDO ay matagal na nating sinusubaybayan, Sapagkat, ang mga kasong ito ang kongkretong patunay natin kung paano garapalang sinusupil at pinagkaka-perahan ng sabwatan ng DOLE, Kapitalista at mga Aristokrata sa paggawa ang kontitusyunal na batayang karapatan nating mga manggagawa sa regular na empleyo, karapatang mag-unyon at makipag-CBA. Ang pagtagal ng ating mga kaso sa DOLE, NLRC, patuloy na pagkaantala at pagsagka sa ating mga batayang karapatan, pagdami ng mga reklamo ng ating mga OFW ang kongkretong patunay na umaalingasaw na laganap ang korapsyon sa DOLE, NLRC, POEA at OWWA.

Narito ngayon ang hamon natin kay P-Noy, kung seryoso siya sa “krusada” niyang labanan ang Korapsyon at gusto niya talagang linisin ang kanyang administrasyon para sa mabuti at matapat na pamamahala (Good Governance) huwag siyang kukurap sa “krusada” niyang ito. Kung nagawa niyang simulang linisin ang AFP-PNP, patalsikin ang Hepe ng Ombudsman, dito sa DOLE, NLRC, POEA at OWWA, simulan na niyang linisin ito. Sapagkat higit na malala at malalim ang epekto ng korapsyon dito. Ang korapsyon dito ay direktang tumatagos sa mga pabrika, plantasyon, opisina, iskwelahan at ibayong dagat sa mga kapatid nating OFW. Ang Dirtektang tinatamaan at biktima ng korapsyon dito ay ang mga pobreng manggagawa sa loob at labas ng bansa.

P-Noy, sa gitna ng krisis, higit na kailangan ang proteksyon sa mga manggagawang nagugutom at walang matirahan, kaysa iilang mga kapitalistang nagtatampisaw sa karangyaan sa buhay.

Mga kasama, ayaw natin na ang karanasan ng mga manggagawa sa Goldilocks, URC 41, PALEA at iba pa, na daranasin pa ng mga susunod pang henerasyon ng mga manggagawa. Marami tayong mga kaso na inihahapag sa DOLE, NLRC, POEA at OWWA na ang mga desisyon ng mga opisyal dito ay hindi tumitingin at nakabatay sa merito ng kaso, kundi sa buhos ng pera, impluwensya at kapangyarihan.

Mga Kasama, sobra na ang kapabayaan at korapsyon sa DOLE. Panahon na para wakasan ang ganitong kalakaran. Tayo ay maglulunsad ng kilos protesta sa harap ng DOLE Intramuros. Upang ilantad ang laganap na korapsyon sa DOLE. Ipaglaban ang kagyat na hustisya sa mga kapatid nating manggagawa ng Goldilocks, URC 41, PALEA at mga kapatid nating OFW at iba pang manggagawang inaalisan ng empleyo at patuloy na pinagkakaitan ng regular na trabaho, sahod na makakabuhay ng pamilya, karapatang mag-unyon at makipag-CBA para sa pagkakamit ng ”Marangal na Trabaho! at Marangal na Buhay”!

Sobra na ang Kapabayaan at Korapsyon sa DOLE! Dapat na itong Wakasan na!

Labor group hits ‘PPP’ against just wage hike

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)

MEDIA RELEASE

05 May 2011

Labor group hits ‘PPP’ against just wage hike

Militant labor center Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) today assailed what they call as a “seeming connivance of the government and the business sector against a fair wage increase.”

BMP’s statement is in reaction to BSP Governor Amado Tetangco’s warning that an increase higher than P25 is inflationary and ECOP President Edgardo Lacson’s assertion that they could only afford an additional P13.35 for workers’ salaries.

Leody de Guzman, BMP President, said, “The workers now understand what Aquino’s Public-Private Partnership is all about. It is the continuance of the connivance of business and government against labor interests.”

He lamented, “They’re harping the same old classic blackmail against wage increase; that it is inflationary, that it will cause retrenchments, and that it will spell apocalypse. But what is a slight decrease in profits to save our people from extreme hunger? What is a just wage increase compared to BSP’s long-running inflationary policy of low interest rates?”

The militant labor center said that they plan to picket the offices of BSP and ECOP soon to further register their messages.

May 1 Press Release/Statement

Press Release/Statement

Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino

BMP

May 1, 2011

P-Noys’ Job fairs: A “moro moro” scheme of the worst kind! ‘Pantawid sa Kalsada! Panlilinlang sa masa! ”

“Sobra na! Tama na! Pahirap sa masa, Wakasan na!”, slogans shouted by thousands of workers belonging to the biggest contingent Sanlakas-PLM bloc heeded for Mendiola for a concelebrated mass with other labor groups.

The P-Noy administration showcase of pursuing job fairs in todays’ Labor Day Celebration is practically a rehashed of his former predecessors.

There is no significant move on the part of the government to commemorate today’s occasion, the Filipino workers were made to believe that the government is doing its job in these hard and trying times. Similar strategies employed in the past were never successful but a total failure. In terms of policies and programs, nothing is new to an administration that is reduced to being a second rate trying hard copycat.

Job Fairs and “Patawid sa Kalsada Program” were palliative solutions that will never alleviate the conditions of the Filipino people.

The P-Noy administration is offering 50,000 jobs, a far cry from the staggering three millions unemployed Filipinos needed for employment in the country. The people are only being fooled to appease the growing discontent and frustration.

“Moro-moro ang ginagawa ng gobyerno at ang programang “Pantawid sa Kalsada” ay klarong panlilinlang sa masa!” exclaimed by Leody De Guzman, BMP President. during the rally in front of the University of Santos Tomas where the biggest contingent of the Sanlakas-Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) numbering over 5,000 people converged and held a program.

Mr. De Guzman further added that “What kind of direction P-noy is heeding, if this trend will continue, this administration is bound to fail. He was able to buy for himself a Porsche but nothing to the workers!”

The group depicted a replica of P-Noy’s Porsche with a sign of “Wala akong pakialam” placed on the chest of a rallyist clad in a barong with the face covered by a mask of President Noynoy Aquino.

The Sanlakas-PLM bloc marched towards Mendiola to join with other various labor groups to a concelebrated mass by NASSA, a social action arm of the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philipppines). (30)