Deputize union officers, DOLE urged

MANILA, Philippines - Labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) yesterday asked the Department of Labor and Employment to deputize union officers as labor inspectors following the death of a worker at the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries Corp. in Subic.

 PM chair Renato Magtubo said the scheme would help strengthen the enforcement of labor standards and safety rules at the workplace.

 â€œThe DOLE has onlt at least 200 inspectors to cover around 800,000 establishments nationwide, thus in 2013 only around 40,000 enterprises were inspected,” Magtubo said.

He said even if just 10 percent of the 17,000 local union presidents and officers will be accredited as labor inspectors, this would increase DOLE’s manpower.

 â€œAll DOLE has to do is train union presidents and officers in the labor inspection and enforcement process and accredit them,” Magtubo said.

The DOLE office in Central Luzon has issued a cease and desist order againts a contarctor of  Hanjin, Finback Corp., after Ryan Gacus, a welder, died at the shipyard recently.

PM records showed that Gacus was the third worker to die at the shipyard.

 â€œStopping the operation of Finback is just a first step. We will monitor what steps DOLE will do next to serve justice to Gacus,” Magtubo said.

 He said the government must make changes regarding enforcement of labor standards and occupational health and safety to protect workers.