16 December, 2020On 30 November, trade unionists around the world joined a global day of action for the Philippines, holding protests in the streets and at Philippine embassies, calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to end the repression and killing of trade unionists. The Philippine government responded by arresting six trade unionists and a journalist on 10 December.
Trade unions around the world first took action on 10 December 2019, International Human Rights Day, to demand that the Philippine government end the red-tagging and extra-judicial killings of labour and human rights activists. But red-tagging - the blacklisting and harassment of individuals or groups seen as insufficiently loyal to the government – continues.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is coordinating the campaign against the industrial relations omnibus bill, with a campaign, “For the Workers”, asking the government to recognise the “heroes of the pandemic”.
Unions are already reporting they have seen the most significant increase in their membership since the early days of the pandemic, as fears over work insecurity drive workers’ decision making.
Labor has warned the provision could result in cuts of up to of $11,000 for frontline workers due to loss of shift and overtime penalties. Porter claims such cuts would “never happen” because workers would not agree and the commission would not register an agreement against the national interest.