MANILA, Philippines — A plan by the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) to set up an industrial peace mechanism has been opposed by labor groups, saying it would further restrict union organizing in export processing zones.
The labor coalition Nagkaisa said the proposed PNP-Peza alliance for industrial peace and program office (Aippo) was similar to the joint industrial peace and concerns office (Jipco) that had met strong resistance from ecozone workers since its creation in 2018.
“If Jipco’s aim was to prevent radical union organizing of workers in ecozones, Aippo unabashedly wants ecozone workers to be completely under the command of the PNP,” said Sonny Matula, president of Federation of Free Workers and chair of Nagkaisa coalition.
Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of Partido Manggagawa, said the proposed Aippo required workers to get clearance from the police for trade union activities and permits surveillance and profiling of union leaders and organizers.