APL calls for reforms in outdated Labor Code

The Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) today called on policy makers to immediately pass much-needed amendments to the Labor Code as the National Conference on Private Formal Labor is convened today to discuss its priority legislative agenda.

The National Anti-Poverty Commission – Formal Labor and Migrant Workers' Council (NAPC-FLMWC) sponsored this conference.

"The Labor Code is a remnant of the Marcos dictatorship," said Daniel L. Edralin, APL Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the NAPC-FLMWC. "It is replete with too many loopholes that allow abusive employers to get away with union busting and violating the rights of workers everywhere thus blunting the effectiveness of the exercise of workers and trade union rights."

"Contrary to the calls of he employers, the Labor Code needs to be overhauled to ensure solid guarantees for workers and trade union rights," Edralin said. The employers' group recently announced their demand to amend the Labor Code to ensure more labor flexibility

The measure pending in the Senate providing for mechanisms to strengthen workers' constitutional right to self-organization should be prioritized, according to Edralin. " We believe that unless the law on the right to self-organization is amended, the constitutional mandate for the State to afford full protection to labor, including the right organize and bargain collectively, will be rendered meaningless," he said.

We believe that unless the law on the right to self-organization is amended, the constitutional mandate for the State to afford full protection to labor, including the right organize and bargain collectively, will be rendered meaningless.

"There is also a need to reorganize and reform the wage determination structure and institutions so as to better reflect the workers' need for a living wage," said Edralin. "The Tripartite Wage Boards are simply inadequate and ineffective when it comes to setting the wage levels. It creates distortions as it comes up with meager amounts of wage adjustments, a far cry from the legislated, nationwide and across-the-board hike we are pressing for."

Edralin said the urgency of reforming the Labor Code comes at a time when "workers' economic and political are under severe attack by a regime bent on keeping its beleaguered president in power."
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Labor Code of the Philippines