Praymer Hinggil sa HB 407

Q: Ano ang HB 407?

‣ Ang pangalan nito ay "Batas na poprotektahan ang karapatan ng lahat ng manggagawa, organisasyon sa paggawa, at unyon laban sa panghihimasok ng amo, pampublikong otoridad, at mga ahente nila, at mga parusa sa lalabag dito."

 

Q: Bakit kailangan ang HB 407?

‣ Simula't sapul nang maluklok si dating Pangulong Duterte, 56 na ang bilang ng mga unyonistang pinaslang, lalo na noong "Bloody Sunday Massacre" sa Timog Katagalugan.

‣ Pinaigting din niya ang pang-haharas sa mga unyonista, lalo na sa Nexperia, Wyeth, Optodev, at marami pang iba, lalo na ng AFP, PNP, at NTF-ELCAC.

 

 

Q: Ano ang unyon?

Anumang organisayon, unyon, o grupo ng empleyado, pederasyon, o pambansang unyong at kanyang mga pangkat, sa pampubliko o pambribadong sektor. Kasama rin dito ang mga ambulante, minsanang may trabaho, sarili ang amo, nagtatrabaho sa kanayunan, at mga walang tiyak na amo. Ang layunin ay para sa sama-samang pakikipagkasundo, pakikipagtulungan, pakikipagtaguyod ng interes at kabutihan, kooperasyon, at proteksyon, at iba pang legal na layunin. (H.B. No. 407, Sec. 4(b)).

 

Q: Ano ang layunin ng HB 407?

‣ Nasa ating Konstitusyon mismo na “dapat magkaloob ang Estado ng lubos na proteksyon sa paggawa, garantyahan ang, mga karapatan ng lahat ng mga manggagawa sa pagtatatag ng sariling organisasyon, sama-samang pakikipagkasundo at negosasyon, mapayapa at magkakaugnay na pagkilos, kasama ang karapatang magwelga nang naaalinsunod sa batas.”

(1987 Konstitusyon, Art. XIII, inulit sa H.B. No. 407, Sec. 2)

 

‣ Upang maipatupad ito, kailangan gawing krimen ang “sinuman ang sadyang manghimasok, pigilan, mang-haras, o pilitin ang sinumang manggagawa, organisasyon sa paggawa, o unyon, sa pagsasagamit ng mga karapatan sa pagtatag ng sariling organisasyon, o sa anumang paraan ay sadyang labagin ang batas na ito..." (H.B. No. 407, Sec. 3).

 

Q: Wala pa bang batas na pinaparusahan ang mga ganitong akto?

‣ Meron, pero kulang. Alam na ng mga mababatas na puwede maging hadlang ang mga AFP at PNP sa karapatan ng mga manggagawa^[1]. Ang layunin ng HB 407 ay palawakin ang proteksyon sa mga manggagawa, dahil may mga aktong nakaligtaan ng batas na parusahan.

 

Q: Paano pinapalawak ng HB 407 ang mga kasalukuyang proteksyon sa mga manggagawa at organisasyon sa paggawa?

‣ Dinidiin ng HB 407 na ILEGAL gawin ng sinuman (amo man o pulis) ang mga ito:

1. Pilitin, puwersahin, o takutin ang manggagawa na huwag sumali sa organisasyon sa paggawa o unyon, o umalis sa kinasalihang unyon
2. Pilitin, puwersahin, o takutin ang organisasyon sa paggawa o unyon na umalis sa anumang pederasyon o pambansang unyon ng mga maggagawa
3. Pilitin, puwersahin, o takutin ang manggagawa na sumama sa anumang seminar na:
1. Kukumbinsin silang huwag bumuo ng unyon
2. Kukumbinsihing silang huwag sumali sa mga pagkilos ng unyon
3. Sinisiraan ang anumang unyon o organisasyon sa paggawa
4. Pilitin ang manggagawa na huwag bumoto sa certification election, o kung boboto man ay iboto ang gusto ng among unyon
5. Mang-discriminate sa sinumang manggagawa sa anumang negosyo upang mawalan ng gana yung iba na sumali sa organisasyon sa paggawa o unyon
6. Pigilan ang manggagawa na tuparin ang mga gawaing sa unyon, o parusahin sila dahil sa kanilang mga gawain sa unyon alinsunod sa kanilang posisyon doon
7. Manghimasok, mamigil, o mangharang sa pagtatag at pagkilos ng organisasyon sa paggawa o unyon
8. Mang -redtag ng anumang unyon o organisasyon sa paggawa
9. Akusahin ang manggagawa, organisasyon sa paggawa, o unyon bilang “subersibo” o “terorista”
10. Iba pang pagpiligil, pagpupuwersa, panghaharang, ang anumang legal at mapayapang pagkilos ng mga manggagawa, organisasyon sa paggawa, o unyon, nang walang kapangyarihan sa batas na gawin ito (H.B. No. 407, Sec. 5).

 

 

Q: Bakit kailangang ipagbawalan ang pang-reredtag?

‣ Kontra sa sinasabi ng iba sa gobyerno na “malayang pamamahayag” lamang ang panreredtag, dapat itong pagbawalin dahil sa Art. 259 mismo ng Kodigo Labor, ILEGAL ang “panghihimasok, pagpipigil, o pagpipilit sa mga manggagawa” sa larangan ng karapatan sa pagtatag ng sariling organisasyon. Kahit sabihin mang “opinyon” ng amo ‘yun, kung makikitang may bias kontra sa mga unyon o tinangka nang ipagkait sa mga empleyado ang karapatan nilang pumili ng organisasyon, ay ILEGAL pa rin. (UNGOS, Labor Law 2, p. 240-241)

 

 

Q: Paano pagbabawalan ang AFP, PNP, at NTF-ELCAC na huwag mang-redtag?

‣ Pagbabawalan silang gawin ang mga sumusunod:

1. Umakusa sa mga organisayon sa paggawa, unyon, o unyonista na “subersibo” o “terorista” dahil lang kasali sila sa isang unyon o pederasyon ng mga unyon
2. Bumuo ng mga seminar na kontra sa mga unyon
3. Manghimasok sa certification election (hlmb. Aanyahin ang mga maggagawa na sumuporta sa unyon na gusto nila)
4. Mang-haras o magtanong sa mga manggagawa tungkol sa kanilang “pagsuporta sa armadong grupo” dahil lang kasama sila sa unyon
5. Hindi protektahan ang mga karapatan ng mga mangagagwa
6. Mangolekta ng datos tungkol sa mga manggagawa at unyonista, na puwedeng gamitin pang-haras (H.B. No. 407, Sec. 6).

 

 

Q: Ano ang mga kaparusahan kapag nilabag ang mga Seksyong 5 at 6?

1. Multa na hindi bababa sa P100,000
2. Kulong sa hindi bababa sa isang taon, at hindi hihigit sa 2 taon
3. Multa at kulong
4. Kung pampublikong opisyal, tulad ng AFP, PNP, at NTF-ELCAC, puwede silang hatulan ng:
1. Pagkulong nang 2 taon
2. Diskuwalipikasyong mahalal o maluklok sa iba pang posisyon
3. Pagbawi sa lahat ng benepisyo (tulad ng pensyon, atbp.) (H.B. No. 407, Sec. 9).

 

 

Q: Bakit kailangang kulong ang parusa dito?

‣ Ang paglabag sa mga karapatan sa pagtatag ng sariling organisasyon ay sala sa karapatang pampubliko, na papaparusahan parang krimen.

‣ Ang biktima sa salang ito ay ang manggagawa, mga mabubuting empleyado, at maging ang Estado. (AZUCENA, The Labor Code with Comments, p. 282)

 

 

Q: Bakit mahalaga protektahan at paunlarin ang mga organisasyon sa paggawa at unyonista?

‣ Ani Justice Reynato Puno sa desisyon sa Bisig ng Manggagawa sa Concrete Aggregates v. NLRC: “Sa 14 na taong paglaban kontra sa Batas Militar ay nagkaroon ng maraming martir, nangunguna doon ay mga radikal sa kilusang paggawa.” (G.R. No. 105090 September 16, 1993)

‣ Katuwang dito ay inaatasan ng HB 407 na dapat palaganapin ng DOLE ang mga kilusang paggawa at protektahan ang mga manggagawa sa  karapatan ng lahat ng mga manggagawa sa pagtatatag ng sariling organisasyon at magtatag ng unyon sa organisasyon sa paggawa. (H.B. No. 407, Sec. 8).

 

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^[1] Art. 258 - Pinagbabawalan ang amo na pilitin ang empleyado na magdeklara na hindi siya sasali ng unyon, o umalis sa unyon kung nakasali na, atbp.

 

Art. Kodigo sa Paggawa - Ginagawang ilegal ang:

1. Paggamit ng “strike breaker” o taong haharang, pipigilan, o manghimasok sa malayang welga, sa pamamagitan ng dahas o pananakot
2. Pinagbabawalan ang sinuman, LALO NA ang AFP o PNP, na dalhin o eskortin ang sinumang papalit sa mga nagwewelga, sa kanyang pagpunta o pag-alis sa lugar ng pagwelga o sa trabaho.

 

Ang DOLE ay gumawa ng “Guidelines for the conduct of PNP/AFP personnel during strikes, lockouts, and labor disputes in general,” kung saan ang puwede lang gawin ng mga ito ay:

1. Panatilihing walang pandarahas
2. Siguraduhing sinusundan ang mga batas at utos ng mga otoridad

 

H.B. NO. 407 

AN ACT

PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF ALL WORKERS

AND WORKERS ORGANIZATIONS AND UNIONS FROM INTERFERENCE

BY THEIR EMPLOYERS OR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES OR THEIR AGENTS, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Constitution mandates thet the State shall protect the rights of all workers, promote their welfare and afford full protection to labor. The fundamental law of the land further guarantees the rights of all workers to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with the law. The exercise of such rights of workers should be free from the interference of their employer or the government.

Enshrined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution is the provision that "the right of the people, including those employed in the public and private sectors, to form unions, associations or societies for purposes not contrary to law shall not be abridged." As such, the Labor Code of the Philippines was declared as a State policy to promote free trade unionism as an instrument for the enhancement of democracy and the promotion of social justice and development. In the public sector, the exercise of the right to  organize for government employees is provided under Executive Order No. 180, signed in 1987 

Further, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an internationaE agreement adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to ensure and guarantee the rights  and freedoms, recognizes the right to form and join trade unions and freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Moreover, the International Labour Organization, a United Nations agency mandated to advance social and economic justice through setting international labor standards, recognizes the right of all workers to self-organize free from any interference, ILO Convention 87, which the Philippines ratified, provides that public authorities Shali refrain from any interference which would restrict the right to freedom of association of all workers or impede its lawful exercise. Similarly, public employees and public employeeS organizations enjoy the right to organize and freedom of association, free from prejudice in its lawful exercise, and completely independent from public authorities and its control, as guaranteed by ILO Convention 1 51 , also recently ratified by the Philippines. 

For decades, workers and workers' unions have been fighting for their right to selforganization, collective bargaining, just compensation and benefits, security of tenure, and just and humane working conditions, among others. Unfortunately, despite the Constitutionally-protected and internationally-recognized rights of workers and workers' unions, they are subjected to all forms of harassment, intimidation, redtagging, violent and illegal dispersal of strikes, union-busting, arbitrary arrests due to  false charges, and worse, killings. 

In 2022, the annual Global Rights Index of the International Trade Union Confederation ('TUC) listed the Philippines as one of the ten worst countries for workers, as it noted the killings, arrests of Filipino workers, and violent suppression of labor strikes. Further, the Council of Global Unions (CCU) — representing more than  200 million workers across the globe, have consistently issued alarm about the worsening condition of workers' rights in the country. According to IT UC and GCU, some of the most violated rights of workers include the increasing criminalization of the right to strike, erosion of collective bargaining, and de-registration of unions.

Since President Duterte took office in 2016, there have been 56 reported killings of trade union organizers, 8 of these were reported in the middle of the pandemic. The most recent is the killing of Dandy Miguel last March 28, 2021. Miguel was the union  president of Lakas ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Fuji Electric and Vice Chairperson of Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK)KMU. Prior to his killing, Miguel went to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to complain about cases of harassment and red-tagging of unionists in Southern Tagalog. Weeks before, on March 7, jn what is now dubbed as Bloody Sunday Massacre,' 9 activists were killed, including Emmanuel "Manny" Asuncion. He was a long-time labor and community organizer and a leader of Solidarity of Cavite Workers  (SCW). He was brutally killed by the police at around 5 in the morning when police stormed the Workers Assistance Center (WAC) office in Dasmarinas, Cavite, ostensibly to serve a warrant of arrest.

There were 32 trade union organizers illegally arrested under President Duterte i s term, 31 of whom remain incarcerated. 13 of these arrests happened in the middle of the pandemic. On November 30, 2020, police dispersed an indignation rally staged by Cebu workers at the Mactan Economic Zone to commemorate Bonifacio Day and denounced the governments red-tagging of trade union activities. Five workers were arrested when police broke up the gathering: Dennis Derige, Myra Opada, Joksan Branzuela, Jonel Labrador and Cristito Pangan, all affiliated with Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) and Partido Manggagawa (PM).

They were detained for alleged violation of quarantine guidelines and disobedience. Another notable case is the arrest of HR Day 7. On December 10, 2020, as human rights groups commemorated International Human Rights Day, 7 activists (6 trade union organizers and 1 journalist) were arrested on false charges. 2 of them have since been released on bail while others remain in jail; 

Kilusang Mayo Uno, an independent national labor center established in 1980, has also reported incidents of workers being harassed by suspected state agents and forced to disaffiliate themselves and their unions from the labor group, Among the unions reportedly experiencing this are: (1) Nexperia Philippines Inc. Workers Union  of Nexperia Philippines Inc. (Laguna); (2) Wyeth Philippines Progressive Workers Union of Wyeth Philippines (Laguna); (3) Optodev Workers Union of Optodev inc. (Laguna); (4) Alcohol Workers Union of Alcophil Metal Corporation Inc. (Valenzuela); and (5) Adnama Mining Resources Inc. Labor Union of Adnama Mining Resources Inc. (Surigao del Norte). Workers were reportedly visited by police in their homes and forced to disaffiliate from their unions under the threat of losing their jobs.

EmployeeS unions in various government offices have also been subjected to harassment, threats, surveillance, and red-tagging attacks. Sandigan ng mga Empleyadong Nagkakaisa sa Adhikain ng Demokratikong Organisasyon or SENADQ the employees' union in the Senate of the Philippines, was subjected to red-tagging by Director-General Aex Monteagudo of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) for its condemnation of a memorandum issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). SENADO, an affiliate of COURAGE, or the Confederation for Unity, Recognition. and Advancement of Government Employees,  criticized a memorandum released by the DELG last March that sought to "identify members of supposed communist groups" like COURAGE and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) who were government employees. Another government workers union, the Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP),  have reported persistent intimidation and harassment from military agents and forced them to disaffiliate from COURAGE. COURAGE is the biggest alliance of labor unions in the government. Some of its members are included in the aforementioned list of unionists who have been arrested or kiiied under the Duterte administration.

Healthcare workers and their unions have also reported intimidation, harassment, and threats against them. Workers and unions in public hospitals such as Jose Reyes Memorial Memorial Hospital, Fabella Hospital, and Philippine Orthopedic Center have reported interference and harassment from police personnel and suspected state agents. Moreover, leaders of healthcare workers' unions have been subjected to redtagging and threats.

Lastly, the issuance of Executive Order No. 70 in 2018 by President Duterte paved the  way for the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). Workers groups point to NTF-ELCAC as the mastermind behind continued efforts to label, brand, vilify, and harass individuals and  organizations as state enemies and subversives. Workers and workers unions said these acts had put their lives in danger as many of their fellow unionists and advocates had been violently attacked, arrested, or killed after being red-baited or tagged as communist rebels or supporters.

Thus, it is imperative that Congress legislate this proposed law to protect all workers and workers organizations from interference, intimidation, harassment, attack, or coercion in violation of their right to self-organization and association.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as 'Anti-Union Interference Act of

2022' 

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the primary responsibility of the State to protect and uphold the rights of all workers and promote their welfare, including their Constitutionally guaranteed rights to self-organization. collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with law.

 It is also the policy of the State that any violation thereof is not only a violation of the civil rights of all workers, but also a criminal offense against the State.

SECTION 3. Coverage. For purposes of this Act, any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain, harass or coerce any worker or workers' association or union in the exercise of their rights to self-organization, or shall in any manner commit any act in violation of the provisions of this Act, and such acts and or commissions not otherwise under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and its appropriate agencies pursuant to the Labor Code of the Philippines and Executive Order 180 shall be liable under this Act 

SECTION 4. Definition of Terms.

(a) Worker— refers to any person in the employ of another, whether in the public sector or private sector, including ambulant, intermittent, self-employed, rural workers end those without definite employers, regardless of their employment status, tenure or nature of the agreements or contracts.

(b) Workers' organization or union refers to any organization, union, association or group of employees, or federation or national union with local chapters or affiliates, whether in the public or private sector; including  ambulant, intermittent, self-employed, rural workers and those without definite employers, which exists in whole or in part for the purpose of collective bargaining, or mutual aid, promotion of interest and welfare, cooperation and protection or other lawful purposes.

SECTION 5. Prohibited Acts. It shall be unlawful for any person to commit any of the following acts of interference, intervention, or intrusion:

(a) to require, force or coerce a worker to not join a workers' organization or union, or to relinquish or renounce membership therein;

(b) to require, force or coerce a workers' organization or union to relinquish or renounce its affiliation or membership to any workers' federation or national union; 

(c) to require, force or coerce any worker to not join a workers' organization or union, or to relinquish or renounce membership therein to be able to access any government service, aid or program; 

(d) to require, force or coerce any worker to attend any information drive or seminar which dissuades workers from organizing a union or participating in any activity of the organization or union, or that which labels or vilifies any union or labor organization;

(e) to discourage a worker from voting or supporting a specific organization or union during certification election;

(f) to discriminate a worker in any commercial establishment or business, in order to discourage membership in any workerS organization or union;

(g) to prevent a worker from carrying out duties laid upon them by their position in the organization or union, or to penalize them for the action undertaken in such capacity;

(h) to interfere, impede, obstruct, or hinder in the establishment, functioning, or administration of workers' organizations or unions; 

(i) to vilify, label, brand, red-tag, name or accuse a worker or workers'  organization or union as subversives or terrorists;

0) to otherwise interfere, impede, obstruct, or hinder, without authority  under the law. any lawful and peaceful activities of the workers and workers' organizations or unions.

SECTION 6. Conduct of the AFP, PNP and the NTF-ELCAC. Any member,  personnel or officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including the CAFGU Active Auxiliaries and the Special CAFGU Active Auxiliaries, the Philippine National Police (PNP) including its Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation

Agency, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC), and those agents or third persons acting either on their behalf or under their orders, such as, but not limited to, Local Chief Executives, Economic Zone Police,  PEZA security personnel/guards, company/private security personnel/guards,  Barangay Tanod/BPSO•

(a) shall not vilify, label, brand, red-tag, name or accuse workers' organizations or unions, labor leaders, members or organizers as subversives or terrorists on the basis of mere membership or affiliation to a labor organization, union or federation;

(b) shall not dissuade workers from exercising their right to organize a union or participate in any legitimate and lawful activity of the organization or union, such as but not limited to holding anti-union seminars, and other antiunion information drive, whether within the company premises or not, including industrial or special economic zones;

(c) shall not interfere during the conduct of certification election, such as, but not limited to encouraging or discouraging workers to vote or support a specific individual or organization or union;

(d) shall not harass or forcibly interrogate workers, organizers, or union  officials on their alleged links or support to certain armed group's on the basis of mere membership or affiliation to labor organizations or unions:

(e) shall protect, respect and advance workers' rights and civil fiber-ties at all times. Alf actions by AFP/PNP personnel/units and those agents or third persons acting on their behalf or under their orders, as an individual and as  a formed unit, must always be compliant with existing laws and conventions on the respect and protection of human rights; and

 (f) shall not collect personal data of workers, labor organizers, or union  officials such as name, home address, and contact details which can be  used for harassment and profiling.

SECTION 7. Complaint mechanism. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall verify and act on claims of trade union rights violations without prejudice to existing mechanisms under the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) or other concerned government agencies. The complaint mechanism shall be subject to the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this Act.

SECTION 8. Promotion of trade unionism. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall lead the efforts in promoting free trade unionism and in  fostering a strong labor movement in the country. Towards this end, it shall take a proactive role in strengthening the protection of workers from discrimination and interference in their exercise of their right to organize and form unions end labor  organizations.

SECTION 9. Penalties. Any person who interferes with, restrains, harasses or  coerces any worker or workers' association or union, in the exercise of their rights to self-organization or in any manner committed any violation of the provisions of this Act; upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P 100,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than two (2) years, or both at the discretion of the court

if the offender is a public official, the court, in addition to the penalties provided in the  preceding paragraph, may impose additional penalties of disqualification from any appointive or elective position and forfeiture of all benefits. 

Any violation of the provision on Section 6 of this Act shall be imposed with the maximum penalty provided under this Act 

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. if any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the  remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. Alt laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and their implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general  circulation, whichever comes earlier.