Protect Hanjin workers’ rights, Aquino urged

MANILA, Philippines—The militant labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) challenged President Aquino to uphold and protect workers’ rights at the giant Hanjin shipyard in Subic, Zambales, after another worker died in an accident on May 1.

“P-Noy had once personally thanked Hanjin for its P24-billion investment. Now he should personally act on the 37th reported death at the shipyard,” said PM chair Renato Magtubo in a statement over the weekend.

Randy Gacos, 29, a fit-up welder at the shipbuilding facility of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Philippines Inc., suffered severe burns while working in the erection section of the shipyard on Wednesday. He died on Thursday night while being treated at a local hospital.

“The Hanjin shipyard is a graveyard for workers. While capitalists are scrimping on protection for their work force and the government is sleeping on its job of enforcement, workers are dying in the work place,” Magtubo said.

According to the group, some 21,000 laborers work at the shipyard but only a few hundred are claimed by the giant multinational as its employees since the rest were hired by 19 subcontractors.

PM also called for stronger labor enforcement and labor inspection reforms by the government in response to the latest death and rampant contractualization at the shipyard.—Tina G. Santos