Workers have found a champion in Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales.

Rosales has committed to push for workers’ rights in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), amid the onslaught of the economic crisis that has seen massive layoffs.

At the “Church-Labor conference” held May 7, Rosales vowed to bring the matter of workers’ rights and concerns when the CBCP holds its second plenary council in July, and allow workers an audience with the bishops.

Rosales hosted the conference with union leaders at the Residencia de Arzobispado in Intramuros, Manila and assured he would advocate for workers’ welfare together with organized labor.

The Cardinal favored the establishment of unemployment insurance, but expressed apprehension over how it will be implemented.
 
“I’m wary that the social security contributions of workers who avail of the insurance scheme will be wiped out,”  Rosales said.
 
He told the workers to present their proposal to him and other Catholic bishops.

Clear commitment
 
“Labor is very happy with the support the Cardinal is giving to workers,” said Julius Cainglet, media officer of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), one of the labor groups at the helm of the Church-Labor Conference.
 
“The invitation to the CBCP meeting is a clear indication of the commitment of the Cardinal to prioritize workers, especially since the global financial crisis is already taking its toll on labor,” Cainglet added.
 
The Cardinal reached out to the workers through the Archdiocesan Ministry for Labor Concerns (AMLC) headed by Fr. Erik Adoviso.
 
Rosales also said he is “inclined to establish a Pondo ng Pinoy para sa Manggagawa,” a take off from the Pondo ng Pinoy which he established in his first year as the top church leader of Manila.

The funds to be generated from this program “could be used to provide direct services to workers like providing free legal assistance,” he added.
 
This was the second time Rosales met with labor leaders. Last month, he also had a conference with a handful of union leaders and asked them to “concretize their demands” so he could generate support for the proposals easily.

Workers are also asking for a moratorium on demolitions, evictions, and foreclosures of unpaid housing loans. They also want to put a stop to increases in tuition and other fees.

Lust for profit

On Labor Day, Cardinal Rosales, in a pastoral statement, said “there has to be a cap to the human lust for profit.”

Union leaders are also urging the Cardinal to help make sure that companies do not make the crisis an excuse to violate core labor standards on job security, wages and working conditions. 

Archbishop of Jaro and CBCP President Angel Lagdameo has also expressed his support for workers.

In a statement on Labor Day, he said: “The work force, which is responsible in producing the food and wealth of the country, must themselves be made to share the fruit of their labor through just wages and well-deserved security for themselves and their families. Retirement benefits must likewise be part of the program for workers.”

Other groups involved in the Church-Labor Conference are the Urban Missionaries, Partido ng Manggagawa, Alliance of Progressive Labor, Bukluran ng Mangagawang Pilipino, Labor’s Advocacy for Reform Movement (LABOREM), Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO), Kanlungan Center Foundation, and the Archdiocesan Ministry for Labor Concerns.