International LABOR DAY!

Battle Cry of Modern Living Heroes
SULYAPINOY

Social and financial security, employment contract violation, health problems, sexual harassment, unpaid salary, overtime-underpaid, 3D work(dirty, difficult and dangerous) and discrimination are the common issues and labor problems that confront the modern living heroes-the migrant workers.

As the world celebrates Labor Day, the current issues and concerns are sought to find urgent solutions either for short or long-term.

Currently, a total of 1.75 billion people are into migration and 600,000 of which are in South Korea. In effect, according to the senior economist and a co-authored of the book “Migration and Remittances Factbook of 2008” Dilip Ratha that in many developing countries, migrants remittances provide lifeline for the poor. These are essential force of foreign exchange and a stabilizing force for the economy in turbulent times.

In conjunction, World Bank reported last March its list of the top five highest remittances for 2007 such as India with $27 billion, China with $25.7 billion, Mexico with $25 billion, the Philippines with $17 billion and France with $12.5 billion. Three of which belong to the developing countries like India, Mexico and the Philippines.

In spite of the remittances these migrants sent home, most of either non or skilled workers have gone thru sacrifices like of living away from the family, experiencing prejudicial treatment and exposing to dangerous work condition.

In the case of Employment Permit System (EPS) in South Korea, many of its participating countries are benefiting on the skills and monetary aspects from this labor program which has been providing and as regarded South Korea of becoming an ideal workplace for low-skilled workers as well.

However, this government-to-government labor program have brought perennial issues like unpaid and delayed salary of the workers, violation of labor contract by the employer, physical and verbal abuses and other labor-related problems although the existing labor laws provide protection.

The foreign community observed and commented that due to these current problems, in spite of the provision of labor laws, the employment program is still on its “trial and error” stage.

More so, the job centers have the records of the continual complaints filed by the migrant workers against some abusive employers.

On the other hand, the South Korean government lead by the Ministry of Labor (MOL) has been aware of such violation for they pursue on conducting programs to inform both the employers and workers as part of such resolution programs.

In line with the world Labor Celebration, Filipinos and other foreign workers are asking for intensive support from the government of South Korea to implement the labor laws as mandated and have constant monitoring on the reported violation acts thru labor centers, government agencies and Non-government Organizations (NGOs).

Also, we are calling for the support of the Philippine Embassy to urgently implement programs that would widely benefit all OFWs in South Korea most likely the victims of reported abuses and distressed workers.

The human resource sectors which migrant workforce is included have been constant partners of the government for years. Regardless of job type, visa status, age, gender, citizenship, capabilities and achievements, all workers have been a contributing factor that is essential for the economic stability and growth of South Korea and the Philippines.

These monumental achievements and progress of South Korea and the stabilizing force of the Philippines in the world’s economic battlefield should be highly attributed to all the workers who have been fighting from generation against suppression, prejudice and poverty.