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Thursday, May 04, 2006
Editorials: Organized labor should shape up
It would be useless for organized labor to grumble over the crumbs given them by the government on May 1 in the form of non-wage benefits.
The crumbs are already there and the Arroyo administration, unless a miracle happens, surely wouldn’t replace it with, say, pay hikes.
Besides, blame for the sorry plight of workers shouldn’t be heaped solely on government, which is traditionally pro-business, given that sector’s financial clout.
Part of it should be tossed on organized labor, which has failed the sector it is representing.
Beggars
While labor groups have been noisy the past few years, the fact remains that they have become ineffective in defending the interest of the working class.
They have been reduced to playing the role of beggars, waiting for government to dangle to them the benefits instead of pushing the government’s hand.
The bottom line there is that the idea of the business sector and government giving in to the worker demands is dependent on the strength of organized labor.
Where organized labor is weak, businessmen and politicians will have a field day playing tricks on the workers.
Factions
Organized labor now is highly factional, with a number of labor unions, federations and centers jostling each other for attention.
This is unfortunate considering that the percentage of workers reached by organized labor is small, with recruitment not getting much headway even.
The problem has been compounded by the effort of business establishments to block the setting up of labor unions and the negative image of organized labor in general.
A big chunk of the workers in the country are apolitical, concerned only with how to bring food to the family table.
Many of them wince, therefore, when organized labor talk about President Arroyo’s ouster more and fight for workers benefits only during Labor Day.
Betrayal
What the times demand is for organized labor to look at itself in the mirror and admit its betrayal of the trust reposed on them by the workers.
Labor groups should first straighten out their act, find ways to forge a unity in order to gain strength and lessen the politicking.
Or they will remain beggars, nothing more, nothing less.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 4, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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