Labor bills, ipupursige ni Jinggoy

TINIYAK ni Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada na patuloy niyang ipupursige ang mga panukalang lehislasyon para sa kapa-kanan at pag-unlad ng mga manggagawa, kabilang ang mga hakbanging itinutulak ng administrasyong Aquino.

Sa isinagawang organizational meeting ng Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development na pinamumunuan ni Jinggoy ay inilatag ni Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Undersecretary Rebecca Chato ang mga panukalang isinusulong o suportado ng administrasyon.

“Priority measures” ang tatlo sa mga ito: ang proposed Act Reforming the National Apprenticeship Program and Providing Standards for the Training and Employment of Apprentices, An Act Instituting Magna Carta for Seafarers, at ang Bill Strengthening the Public Employment Service Office (PESO). Dalawa sa mga ito ay nauna nang inihain ni Jinggoy: ang Apprenticeship bill (Senate Bill 136) at ang Magna Carta for Seafarers (SB 21).

Bukod sa mga ito, isinusulong din ng DoLE ang mga panukalang: 1) Amending Labor Code Provisions on Alien Employment Permit; 2) Establishing Productivity and Performance Incentives and Gainsharing Program; 3) Strengthe-ning Labor Law Compliance System; 4) Strengthening Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standards; 5) Institutionalizing Occupational Safety and Health Standards in the Construction Industry; 6) Strengthening Workers’ Right to Self-Organization; 7) Defining the Power of Assumption or Certification of Labor Disputes by the Secretary of Labor and Employment to Undertakings which Involve Essential Services; 8) Strengthening Voluntary Arbitration as a Preferential Mode of Labor Dispute Settlement; at 9) Providing for the Appeal of the Decisions of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC)

Ayon kay Chato, sa pamamagitan ng pamumuno ni Jinggoy sa Labor Committee ay nagkaroon ng “productive partnership” ang DoLE at Senate, at naging daan ito sa pagpapatibay ng mahahalagang labor measures tulad ng Batas Kasambahay, Tripartism Act, lifting the nightwork prohibition, at ang law strengthening mandatory conciliation and mediation as labor dispute mechanisms. Idineklara naman ni Jinggoy na lalo pa niyang paiigtingin ang pagsusulong ng labor bills ng kapwa opposition bloc at administrasyon.