THE TRADE Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Friday appealed to Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian to allow factories still without Fire Safety Inspection Certificates (FSIC) to comply with the requirements instead of shutting them down outright, saying at least 12,000 workers in his city stand to lose jobs.
“Rather than immediate closure, we suggest that erring and noncompliant companies be given at least 10 days to correct themselves. Unless, Mayor Gatchalian has immediate alternative plans to provide jobs to the thousands of workers who might be affected by his closure plan, we recommend that he be rational at this time,” said TUCP-Nagkaisa national spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.
In a statement Friday, the labor group estimated that about 12,000 workers from the affected companies would suffer because of Gatchalian’s order revoking all the business permits of establishments still without FSICs.
The city government has been getting part of the blame for the May 13 Kentex slipper factory fire that left 72 workers dead. The inferno, one of the worst in the country’s history, prompted authorities to check other manufacturing plants in the city for compliance with fire safety standards.
Gatchalian announced his order Thursday, two days after President Aquino warned Valenzuela officials that they could be held liable for the tragedy because they had issued a business permit to Kentex despite its noncompliance.
Tanjusay said Gatchalian should devote local government resources to enforcing existing fire safety laws and ensure that labor standards are being faithfully observed by companies within the city.
He noted that the labor coalition Nagkaisa had forged an agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to conduct an inspection and assessment of all factories in Valenzuela.
Nagkaisa, with TUCP as one of its 49 convenors, would make its own recommendations in reforming the enforcement and compliance with the Labor Law Compliance System being implemented by DOLE, he added. Tina G. Santos