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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Monday, May 1, 2017
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ILOILO City – The end of labor contractualization. A national minimum wage. Genuine land reform. These and other concerns the workers in Panay Island will once again press as they mark Labor Day today.
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Panay will lead a protest march this afternoon after a 1 p.m. rally at the Freedom Grandstand. Other allied groups will join such as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Alliance of Health Workers, Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
“For as long as workers are mired in poverty, robbed of their human dignity and not enjoying the fruits of their labor, we won’t tire of fighting for their rights,” said KMU-Panay spokesperson Roxanne Javellana.
Among others, they will urge President Rodrigo Duterte to make good his campaign promise to totally end contractualization.
“The 10-month old Duterte administration failed to fulfill its promise to end contractualization. He has turned his back against the people,” said Javellana.
They will also push for a national minimum wage of P750 in the private sector and P16,000 in the public sector.
“Workers and their families have long been drowned in poverty while capitalists rob them of their dignity, security of tenure and the power to bargain with employers through union building,” said Javellana.
Citing KMU’s own study, Javellana said the P323.50 minimum wage in Western Visayas is “70 percent short” of the ideal P1,119 daily family living wage.
“It is unjust that we, workers, and the impoverished sector could hardly meet our family’s needs with our meager wages while big corporations continue to rake in super profits from the fruits of our labor,” said Javellana.
Prior to the program at Freedom Grandstand, a labor forum will be held at the barangay gym of Zamora, City Proper.
“The victories of militant labor movements in May 1, 1886 that resulted to eight hours work, higher wages and better working conditions are being robbed by capitalists in conspiracy with the government through policies that keeps workers’ conditions dreadful,” said Javellana./PN
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