GOING into the second Labor Day under the current administration, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Saturday, April 27, 2024, questioned why President Marcos Jr. has continuously failed to meet with the labor sector.
In a statement, the TUCP asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) over the absence of any dialogue, especially during the annual May 1 celebration, between workers and Marcos.
"The TUCP is dumbfounded by the lack of labor dialogue even just once a year on workers' day, particularly, this May 1st. It has been two years into the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and there has been no labor dialogue set," said TUCP.
"Celebrating Labor Day would be a hollow ritual without addressing or even listening to the struggling workers’ pleas," it added.
On the other hand, the workers organization said they do not find any reason to celebrate the 50th year of Presidential Decree 442, or the Labor Code of the Philippines.
This, TUCP said, is despite the Labor Code being the issuance of Marcos' father, the late dictator Ferdinand Sr.
"Fifty years after its enactment, the Labor Code, a landmark social legislation of Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., has now become a relic and a dismal failure in delivering its promise of social justice," it said.
"This is due to the erosion through 50 years of the workers' Constitutional right to self-organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just and humane conditions of work," added TUCP.
On May 1, the country will be celebrating the 122nd Labor Day.
According to the DOLE, a Labor Day event will be held in Malacañang in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Labor Code of the Philippines. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)