Trade unions seek common stand on GFMD
By MARIA ALETA O. NIEVA, abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/08/2008 11:03 PM
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A broad representation of trade unions and labor groups came together Wednesday to issue a common stand on concerns related to migration and development.
“First time in several years na ganito ka-broad na labor groups nagsama-sama. Ang pinag-uusap namin dito ay kung ano ang magiging stand namin sa GFMD [Global Forum on Migration and Development],” said Josua Mata, secretary general of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL).
Mata made the statement during the 1st National Trade union Conference on Migration, Development and Workers’ Rights held Wednesday at the University of the Philippines College of Social Work and Community Development in Diliman, Quezon City. It was attended by more than 100 people representing various trade unions from four major labor formations in the Philippines.
Mata said that through the conference, they expect trade unions to set aside their differences and try to come up with a common statement and actions.
“We will try to craft and agree on a common statement which we will present to media in due time. I am still hopeful that we can come up with common actions, including being together on October 27 when trade unions would have its mobilization during the GFMD,” said Mata.
Mata admitted that trade unions have not been doing their job of helping migrant workers. By failing to do so, workers are left unprotected, thus resulting in a weaker movement.
“Weaker, kasi ang lakas ng unyon, nasa pagsasama-sama ng mga manggagawa. Kung malaking bahagi di mo isinasama, hindi ka lalakas. Ang main objective ng forum is to convince the trade unions to make migration issue a part of its regular program. I have to admit na very slow ang trade unions in taking on migration issues, but I’m really glad that things are starting to turn around,” Mata said.
Trade unions play a very important role particularly in the light of the phenomenon of migration. As defenders of the migrant workers’ rights and welfare, however, trade unions need to further strengthen engagement on labor migration issues that directly affect the people involved.
The Philippines is considered a major source of migrant labor and among the world’s top five remittance recipients. Poverty and other factors such as globalization aging population in receiving countries, widening inequality between the rich and poor nations, insecurity and lack of local employment drive Filipinos to seek opportunities abroad. But migration has also accompanying risks like discrimination, illegal recruitment and human trafficking, and often, migrant workers are assigned to the “three D’s”—dirty, dangerous and degrading jobs.
Mata said that in the case of APL, they want to push with the idea of a unified call to stop the export labor policy of the government.
“It is now appearing that the GFMD is pretty useless pag dating sa mga karapatan ng mga manggagawa because they haven’t been discussing that. I don’t expect GFMD to discuss that, after all kakaunti pa lang sa mga bansa ang signatory sa ILO [International Labor Organization] conventions particularly on the right to organize,” Mata said.
Govt hit for failing to generate local jobs
What’s alarming, however, is how the government rides on the migration phenomenon in masking its failure to generate local jobs.
“It’s getting to be an excuse for government not to push forward programs for full employment,” he said, with brain drain as one of its results.
“Our government’s over reliance on migration is really problematic. It’s high time that government should admit that migration is not a development tool and it will never be a development tool simple because it’s not sustainable,” Mata said.
Rafael Mapalo of the Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP) echoed the same response, saying Filipinos are forced to look for jobs abroad due to the failure of government to create local employment.
“Migration shouldn’t be an answer to poverty. But because there is no choice for Filipinos, they really opt to go abroad,” Mapalo said. TUCP is the secretariat of the ASEAN Trade Union Council.
Mapalo said they try to do everything they can to help migrants by first collaborating with trade unions of other countries to extend assistance to Filipinos.
“That's why we are forging partnership with other national labor centers. Ina-advocate natin with the governments of receiving countries na sana i-trato nila 'yung mga migrant workers as nationals as far as international labor conventions is concerned,” Mapalo said.
The partnership, Mapalo said, would ensure that core labor standards, which are internationally accepted in all ILO member-states is implemented and respected.
“Yung position paper na magagawa dito, ilalatag natin sa GFMD during the civil society day. Tapos ang position ng unions, isa-submit natin sa appropriate government agencies. Pero basically ang ike-carry nating issue ay respect for workers and human rights,” Mapalo explained.
He added that they would also push for government to create more decent jobs in the country as well as the portability of social security protection schemes and of union membership.
“Itong GFMD, hindi binding. Ang positive point d'yan, we have brought into the discussion table yung issue ng migrant workers, at nabibigyan siya ng attention. We are making them aware of the situation of the migrant workers, and hopefully, they will take action,” he said.
The conference was sponsored the ILO, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), the Labor Education and Research Network (LEARN) and the Public Services International (PSI).
