Dole urged: Rescind order legalizing contractualization

A WORKERS’ group is demanding the junking of an order issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) more than five years ago legalizing contractualization.

The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) held a two-hour dialogue with Labor Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod to air their concerns and proposals on how to end contractualization by next year.

KMU chair Elmer Labog said unfair labor practice became more rampant after the Dole issued Department Order No. 18-A, which defined regulations governing contracting and subcontracting arrangements.

The order was issued in 2011 during the Aquino administration by then Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

“The DO 18-A must be junked. It has institutionalized contractualization by teaching employers how to bend our laws and violate workers’ rights to legalize their contractual employment schemes,” Labog said.

The labor leader said that since 2011, more temporary contractual workers have been recorded.

Labog said that since then, four out of 10 rank-and-file workers are hired under various contractual employment schemes.

He said the department order “teaches employers how to circumvent labor laws and legalize their contractual employment schemes.”

During the dialogue with labor leaders, Maglunsod, himself a former militant leader, assured the group that he will personally relay the demand to junk DO 18-A to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Bello was not present during Friday’s dialogue with the KMU as he was in Saudi Arabia to oversee the forced repatriation of some 11,000 OFWs stranded there due to massive layoffs.

“It’s possible [to repeal the order]. This is the cause of contractualization. I told them I will personally relay it to the Dole secretary,” said Maglunsod.

The Dole official said the agency hopes the order will be repealed within the first 100 days of the Duterte administration and put in place a fairer system for workers.

President Duterte earlier promised to end contractualization and guaranteed security of tenure for Filipino workers.