Solon finds it ‘dangerous’ to let federated states draft own labor laws
Anakpawis Party-list Representative Ariel Casilao warned on Friday that it seems “dangerous” that the draft Federal Constitution only states general workers’ rights and lets federated states enact their own labor laws.
In a statement, Casilao said, “It is my understanding that the draft federal constitution mentions only the “rights of workers” in general terms and enumerates them in their bare minimum because it is leaving these matters for the federated regional states to decide and enact their labor laws. That is a very dangerous proposition for workers.”
Casilao noted that Article XVI, Section 3 of the draft Federal constitution covers only the general rights of workers.
He said this was contrary to the 1987 Constitution that guarantees specific workers rights such as security of tenure, humane working conditions, participatory decision-making, collective bargaining and conduct a strike.
Casilao cited a provision in the Labor Code of the Philippines where security of tenure has been construed to mean as that “the employer shall not terminate the services of an employee except for a just cause or when authorized” by the Code.
The lawmaker lamented that the draft federal constitution was “putting [a] premium on full employment without regard of workers’ security of tenure…”
“This is exactly the position of ECOP and other business groups,” he said, referring to the Employers Confederation of the Philippines.
“By embracing this position, the draft paves the way for the widespread legalization of agencies that business owners use to engage in wholesale job contracting,” the lawmaker added. — Micah Yurielle P. Atienza/INQUIRER.net Intern
