TUCP PROGRAM FOR THE 2008 WORLD DAY FOR DECENT WORK “DECENT WORK FOR WOMEN AND YOUNG WORKERS!”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Manifesto on “Decent Work for Women and Young Workers.

It enumerates the four pillars of Decent Work and TUCP’s call for the PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT to take action on: (a) creation of decent jobs to benefit particularly women and young workers – jobs that, to the minimum gives premium of core labor standards and social protection; (b) protection of workers’ rights both in law and practice, particularly in Export Processing Zones where abuses and oppression of workers, especially women and young people’s rights are blatantly rampant; (c) Protection of domestic workers and migrants; and (d) Promotion of maternity protection, reproductive health, safety and health at the workplace.

Furthermore, the government will be asked to take specific actions on:

a) VAW / Sexual harassment and other forms of Violence against women [domestic, bullying, etc.]
b) Pay equity
c) Discrimination in hiring and firing
d) Maternity benefits
e) Childcare facilities including lactating rooms
f) Dormitory / low-cost housing / low rentals near workplaces
g) Retraining and retooling
h) Easy requirement micro-financing facilities / loan facilities for women
i) Work-life balance
j) Women representation in decision-making processes
k) Night work

Reader-friendly versions (flyers and pamphlets) of the manifesto will be published and disseminated.

Mini-caravan for decent work

A three-vehicle caravan carrying Decent Work streamers will parade from the TUCP National Labor Center to the Office of the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment in Intramuros, Manila for the contingent of 20 women and young trade union leaders to submit the “Manifesto on Decent Work for Women and Young Workers.” This will be followed by a dialogue with the DOLE Secretary for specific areas of action and collaboration and greater support for programs for women and young people in employment.

Media and e-campaign

The TUCP’s Decent Work Advocacy (manifesto) focused on Women and Young workers will be issued as a press release a day before 07 October for media coverage.

It will be uploaded at the TUCP website and cross-posted in various egroups maintained by TUCP and participated in by workers and social partners. These egroups include the following:

• oshe_positive@yahoogroups.com;
• yape_tucp@yahoogroups.com;
• kagabay_SAF@yahoogroups.com;
• philtradeunions@yahoogroups.com;
• pinoyrh@yahoogroups.com;
• positive_trainers@yahoogroups.com;
• power_ncr@yahoogroups.com;
• rhan_philippines@yahoogroups.com;
• tradeunionnetwork@yahoogroups.com;
• tucp-jilaf@yahoogroups.com; and
• fuze@yahoogroups.com

Malling for decent work

After the dialogue with the DOLE Secretary, the TUCP contingent will be dispersed into three groups. Each group will proceed to three strategic shopping malls within Metro Manila (Mall of Asia in Pasay, Mega Mall located in Pasig and Trinoma in Quezon City) to distribute Decent Work flyers and pamphlets.

International women’s day

The campaign will be carried for a span of six (6) months. A series of related activities (fora, consultations, training, seminars and workshops) will be conducted in Metro Manila and in three major Philippine island groupings – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It will culminate with an appropriate program on 08 March 2009 at the celebration of the International Women’s Day.

Lead departments

The Development Action for Women (DAWN) and TUCP Youth Department will lead and coordinate campaign activities.

The PSI Asia Pacific Youth Network presents…

WORLD DAY FOR DECENT WORK

Tuesday 7 October 2008
Level 6 tearoom, 9:30 until 11

THEME: Decent work for youth- ending poverty and inequality

Come and join us for fun, games, and feeding @ our “Foods of Childhood” inspired morning tea extravaganza. If you’d like to help out let Jason, Katie, Leila, or Rhiannon know.

We will be joining other unions and organisations across the world in raising awareness of this day.

Bring your inner child and some cash- we are raising money to help an APHEDA project in Manila to provide health checks and worming to children in need. It only costs $2 per child and saves lives.

TUCP
On October the 7 there will be visits and representation to government agencies to lobby for decent work. 17th October is the launch of the Philippines Decent Work Country Program.

FFW
Launching the Decent Work Common Agenda

I. Rationale

Decent Work Agenda is a product of a far-reaching tripatite effort in the Philippines since the last quarter of 2007 to lay the foundation for Decent Work in the country.

After identifying common objectives and agreeing on outcomes for each of the objectives, a strategic planning was successfully conducted, thereby completing the components for the third cycle of the Decent Work Common Agenda with the theme "Narrowing Decent Work Deficits: The Philippine Common Agenda, 2008-2010". It embodies the tripartite partners’ aspiration of addressing and reducing decent work gaps to enhance workforce productivity, competitiveness, representation, and equity at work.

The formal introduction to the public of the Common Agenda will be done through a launching program—and what better time to do it than on a very significant day for the promotion of Decent Work.

The trade union movement worldwide has declared October 7 as "World Day for Decent Work" (WDDW); and has organized a series of events around the globe for the occasion.

According to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) this is an unparalleled opportunity for trade unions and organizations interested in Decent Work all around the world to join a broad global mobilization involving a large number of people and a wide range of activities.

The day will definitely put Decent Work at the centerstage not only internationally, but locally as well. It is something that has not been done. Thus, the decision to do the twin celebration on October; and launch the accompanying Decent Work Caravan of the ILO-SRO Manila, which is aimed at mainstreaming and popularizing Decent Work, which in turn is one of the main objectives of the launching activity. With due consideration to the availability of key social partners during the celebration, the tripartite partners have decided to hold WDDW on Oct. 13.

II. Objectives

Contribute to the wider awareness on "decent work" by the Philippine social partners Showcase initiatives of social partners at promoting decent work Disseminate the Decent Work Common Agenda of the Philippines to generate more support and active players for its implementation

III. Partner Agencies and Organizations

Implementation of the program will be spearheaded by the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) for Decent Work, through its Technical Working Group (TWG), whose members drafted the Common Agenda.

Lead organization/ agency for the program is the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment-Institute for Labor Studies (DOLE-ILS). A small group from among the TWG members representing FFW, and other trade union centers: Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL); informal workers represented by the National Anti-Poverty Commission-Workers in the Informal Sector (NAPC-WIS); employers groups represented by the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP); and, government represented DOLE-ILS has been formed to help plan the launching.

IV. Highlights of the Planned Activities

Venue: Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), Diliman, Quezon City. The OSHC is an attached agency of the DOLE under the Bureau of Working Conditions. Its Auditorium can accommodate the targeted number of participants; while its lobby is a common venue for multimedia exhibits. Date of celebration: October 13, 2008 (Monday), 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Program Highlights "Solidarity Breakfast". To be held at the OSH Center grounds with serving of lugaw, arrozcaldo, tokwa’t baboy, kakanin, coffee and other local food to illustrate "localization" of the DW Agenda. Food stalls shall carry names of the Decent Work pillars/ objectives; while the names of food shall bear different Decent Work themes. Opening and viewing of multimedia exhibit. Showcase of decent works programs and activities of social partners using panels, posters and other IEC materials. The exhibit will be situated at the lobby of the OSHC.

Program Proper
First Part

• Invocation
• National Anthem
• Welcome Remarks
• Solidarity Message from ILO-SRO Manila
• The Decent Work Common Agenda by DOLE.
• Decent Work Pillars/Mainstreaming Decent Work: one speaker each for every pillar; and a short explanation of how to mainstream Decent Work. Partner Organizations which chaired the discussion on the objectives during the Strategic Planning shall be the discussant: TUCP for Rights at Work; ECOP for Opportunities for Employment; NAPC-WIS for Social Protection; and, the FFW for Social Dialogue. The APL will discuss mainstreaming. These are short but comprehensive speeches to be aided by visual presentations that would be heavy on images.
• Recorded Audio-Visual/Written messages. Forming part of the program are recorded messages on Decent Work from international social partners. Target speakers are: UN Sec-Gen, ILO Dir. Gen., ITUC Sec. Gen. Short Decent Work videos may be interspersed from time to time, if time would allow it.
• Priority sectors as defined in the DW Common Agenda will be asked, through their representatives to carry objects that symbolize their sectors onto the stage, which will later on, be housed in the Decent Work Habitat
• Launching of Decent Work Caravan. A recent Decent Work Video produced by the ILO will be shown.

Cultural Presentation (segue to building the decent work habitat) Erecting the "Decent Work Habitat". A small collapsible structure patterned after a simple pre-fabricated house, made of wood. Its four pillars will literally spell out the "four pillars of decent work". There shall be one pillar for all unions and workers; one for all employers; one for all informal workers; and, one for government. Its roofing will spell out Decent Work.

Its walls will be small frames or plates that will hang from the roof, bearing the names of the social partners. One wall will, however, be devoted to the text of the "Commitment Document.

Erecting the "Decent Work Habitat" could be a regular highlight of all the regional stops of the Decent Work Caravan; with the collapsible structure serving as the centerpiece of the Caravan and all Decent Work activities.

Commitment Signing. Social Partners shall signify their commitment in writing their intent to promote the DW Common Agenda and implement the DW Country Programme. The document will be printed in several copies, with one document printed in large format, with a size that would fit as one of the walls in the "Decent Work Habitat" "Talk for Decent Work". A press conference on Decent Work will be held, with the preceding "Erecting of the Decent Work Habitat" and the "Commitment Signing" serving as the spice to the media event. Composing the panel will be the NTAC members.

Press row. a corner of the venue will be assigned as "press row" dedicated to aid the media in conducting interviews with social partners and other reporting related needs, at any time during the program. Press kits will be available in this area. A mini backdrop will be set up in the same Lunch

Second Part

Mini-concert and Get-together. Celebrating World Day for Decent Work in song, dance and other means for creative expression.

• The Social Partners that form the Decent Work Family will be asked to perform here. Partners will relate the special numbers to Decent Work. These could be a song number (live band or videoke-aided), chorale, dance number, interpretative movement, poetry reading, short skit, etc. (At least one number per social partner)
• Semi-professional bands, amateur bands and celebrity Decent Work endorser/s will also perform. Prizes, if plans at soliciting them push through, will be raffled off for members of the social partner’s organizations and members of the press.

The Metal Workers Alliance of the Philippines (MWAP)
The Metal Workers Alliance of the Philippines (MWAP) that is at its formation stage participates in the campaign for Decent Work. The MWAP will hold demonstrations in front of the Japanese and Korean Embassies and also in front of the labour Ministry and Employers Association on the 7th October. The MWAP plans a posters action

PSI
On the occasion of 7th October, World Day for Decent Work, Public Services International is focusing on the situation of migrant workers, and the current debate on migration and development, which will be the theme of the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development in Manila, Philippines, 28-30 October. PSI and public sector unions worldwide are calling for a global re-think on the role of the public sector as the foundation of decent work.