Hanjin is now becoming synonymous with death. After the accident of the Hanjin hired bus and other death incidents, the Senate opened up an investigation regarding the situation of the workers inside the shipyard of Hanjin. In the inspection that was led by Jinggoy Estrada, many employees expressed their dismay and frustration with the company. According to some workers their have been many accidents inside the shipyard and their hospital does not have enough medicine and only have one doctor. This revelation is in addition to the hordes of breach of labor laws that Hanjin had done. The Korean owners of the shipyard are being pressed for answers.
Investigating Hanjin and making them answer to all the things that they did against our workers is the best way to go. But it is obvious that Hanjin is being investigated now because the Korean company is under fire by the media. This is the very same media that is also keeping their eyes shut on the anti-labor practices of many of their advertisers.
I think that after Hanjin is investigated and punished, Senate should go further and investigate the whole situation of the employees in the Philippines so that they could create better labor laws that will safeguard the welfare of Filipino employees. So, instead of stopping the investigation in aid of legislation with Hanjin, why don’t they also investigate the allegations of anti-labor practices of other companies like Nestle, SM, and various manufacturing companies? The Senators should use this opportunity to create a landmark legislation that will truly help the laborers.
Another thing is the selective blindness of the media, specifically the TV giants, with regards to the anti-labor practice of their advertisers. If all of them are saying that their motto is “walang kinikilingan, walang kinatatakutan, pawang katotohanan lamang” whatever, then why they are silent regarding this matter? Instead of being shown the truth, the public are being bombarded by superficial matters like the Nescafe ad showing coffee farmers working happily in the farms of Nestle. I, for one, do not believe the images that the ad are conveying. For many times I encountered posters of labor strike, dead Nestle employees, and slogans saying, “may dugo ang kape ng Nestle” and those things are enough messages that say that the employees are not too happy with their situation.
Labor safety net is full of holes in this country that is why we have incidents like in Hanjin. Workers are being paid below the minimum wage for long hours of work. Many of them are being unjustly laid off and their compensation being held off. And now with the financial crisis wreaking havoc with the economy, more and more employees are being subjected to these unjust activities of their employers.
Every one of May, the labor sector is being hailed of as one of the most essential sector of the economy. This is just an empty slogan because the labor sector is actually being treated like an unimportant sector. Maybe now is the time for the government to make the members of the labor sector feel their importance and Senate should lead the charge.
This post is cross-posted at The Pardoxic Ley Line.
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There are no safety standards on these companies.
Production is paramount. Safety and welfare of
workers are placed on hold.
You can see the sacrifices of our OFWs. They toil
overseas. Subject to the same abuses, unsafe working conditions, starvation wages, and slave working conditions.
At least the White Slave Owners in the American South took care of their Black Slaves. They feed them well. They care for them when they are sick. They bury them when they are dead. A healthy slave is good for the plantation.
These companies, and the overseas OFWs employers.
Their attitude: Work them to them bones, until
they are dead. Another healthy Filipino slave will come,after they are dead. Workers are utilized, like you utilize your styrofoam cup. Throw them away. Get a new one.
Pinas may have to follow the China model in order to entice foreign firms to open factories in the Philippines, especially during these era of global recession when individual nations all scramble to keep their factories humming and the local labor employed.
I think that this investigation of the senate is another moro-moro, after it is out of the lime light they will just forgive and forget. the reason is some of the senators and congressmen are investors or directors of this companies.
Did you notice all senators have their own investigation on senate….why?…..for their another political ambition.
The bottom line is the filipino workers will suffer whatever the outcome of the investigation.
If that company is violating the labor law in the philippines they should file a case, not the senate investigation.
Thats why we filipinos are categorized in the world ,aside from indians, as one of the TALENTED, HARDWORKING and CHEAPEST labors.
Allan
UK & Dubai
If that story about Nestle is true, I will boycott that brand. I was wondering why Sunrise Coffee is suddenly no longer in the grocery stores, I did not find it funny when someone told me that it became sunset coffee.
Yes I’ve come across several news items from time to time about that shipyard having many of its employees die in their work place.
I think any business would not want accidents, but Hanjin Shipbuilding in Subic seems to be a magnet for the fatal kind. It has to be investigated, I may not approve of the Estrada’s but I would agree with Jinggoy on this one. He better not be smarting on brownie points, I demand positive outcome from a mere committee report. People are getting killed.
KA FLOR,
These things continue simply because the owners of these abusive corporations are also the powerful public officials, or have connections with powerful public officials. The people on the other hand did not have the will to fight or if they do fight, they do not have the support that they need from the government or from the other sectors of society.
So the Filipino workers have to submit into the sorrowful working conditions and scanty compensations or die with hunger. ‘Yung sweldo ng mga empleyado ay sapat lang para makakain sila at makapasok uli sa susunod na araw.
aLLAN,
Yes, I agree. Parang nalilimutan na ng senador at ng mga nasa kongreso na ang purpose nila sa gobyerno ay gumawa ng batas at pag-aralan ang legislation sa pilipinas at tingnan kungf paano ito mapapabuti. Inaabuso na nila ang Investigation in Aid of legislation. Isipin mo, pati pagka-stranded ng mga Dolphins ay gustong paimbestigahan ng Congress. Investigating committee na pala ang congress.
I am just hoping na ang ginagawang ito ng Senate ay may mapuntahang mabuti.
Danilo,
Maganda sana kung hindi totoo ‘yun. Kung totoo man ay dapat parusahan ang mga taga-nestle. Lagi na lang kinakawawa kasi ‘yung mga farmewrs natin dito.