[Urgent Appeal] Uphold the basic rights of HANJIN’s 21, 000 strong Filipino workforce

Dear friends and fellow workers, There is growing unrest in Hanijin shipyard since May 1, 2011 due to the alarming frequency of fatal accidents in the shipyard. Reminiscent of the 2008-2009 period, from March to April 2011 there were 9 fatal accidents involving 10 workers, two of them died from separate incidents last April 11…

Human Rights Online Philippines

June 18, 2011

3–4 minutes

Benigno Aquino III, CPR, ESCR, Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention 1948, Hanjin, HANJIN workers, Human Rights, Labor issue, Occupational Health & Safety, Philippine, philippines, Special Action Force, Subic Zambales, United States Department of Labor, workers rights

Dear friends and fellow workers,

There is growing unrest in Hanijin shipyard since May 1, 2011 due to the alarming frequency of fatal accidents in the shipyard. Reminiscent of the 2008-2009 period, from March to April 2011 there were 9 fatal accidents involving 10 workers, two of them died from separate incidents last April 11 and April 15. From March 28 to May 28, five (5) workers were maltreated by their Korean superiors.

To date, the number of workers that died since May 2006 is pegged at thirty one (31).

We wrote several letters to management in a bid to address the unresolved issues at the shipyard such as:

Implementation of occupational health and safety standards like provision of PPE and building of an onsite 300-bed hospital facility within the site
Prevent maltreatment
Provide clean and healthy food
Reinstatement of the 40 illegally dismissed workers (suspected of being association and union members).

There was no response. The management even went as far as refusing to sign a received copy of our letter.

SAMAHAN then decided to launch lunch-breaks noise calling for the management to answer the letter and involve the workers in providing solutions that will seriously address their concern.

The management responded by:

Suspending 5 SAMAHAN leaders

Terminating 1 leader on June 6
Dragging one worker away from the group while participating in a noise barrage, this resulted into a melee as the workers refused to give up their member and
Requesting for the presence of 15 military personnel of the Special Action Force in full battle gear at the shipyard.

Ironically, the incidents happen amid the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) effort to conduct cultural orientation training and monitoring duties of its TASK FORCE HANJIN. Last January 30, the Labor Department declared Hanjin as ‘fully compliant’ to labor and OHS standards.

We have already asked for the Catholic Church to intervene and help us facilitate a meeting with the management but the management refuses to answer despite letters urging them to do so. Other than an ally regional television network and news editor in Central Luzon, no national media had the heart to cover and report the incidents. We are still trying to gather the support of mainstream media to expose the violations of labor rights at the ‘fourth world’s largest shipbuilding facility’.

ACTION POINTS:

We appeal to all workers’ organizations and concerned institutions to send letters to the the Labor Department, Office of the President Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and the management of HHIC-Phils., Inc. to uphold the basic rights of its 21, 000 strong Filipino workforce. Urge them to strongly implement internationally recognized labor laws like ILO Convention 87 Right to Self-Organization and 98 Right to Collective Barganing Agreement, 1981 and Occupational Health and Safety Convention C155 that ensures the enforcement of laws and regulations on OHS in the working environment and to abide with the Philippine Labor Code Book V Art.211 Section A which states that the state must:

(a) Promote and emphasize the primacy of free collective bargaining and negotiations, including voluntary arbitration, mediation and conciliation, as modes of settling labor or industrial disputes;

OHS rule 1005 which states that the employer must furnish his workers a hazard-free work area and Let us join hands in the struggle to put back dignity and respect for the inherent right of workers to organize. We hope that you would support our cause.

You can send us your letters or address it directly to the following:

1. Mr. Simeon Benigno Aquino III
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80

2. Mrs. Rosalinda Baldoz
Secretary
Department of Labor and Employment
7th Flr. DOLE Building,
Muralla St. corner Gen. Luna St., Intramuros
Manila 1002
PHILIPPINES
Fax/ Tel: +632 527 3494
Email: secrdb@dole.gov.ph

3. Mr. Taek Kyun Yoo
General Manager,
External Trade Part
HHIC Phil. Inc.
Mt. Redondo Peninsula Agusuhin, Cawag, Subic, Zambales

Thank you very much.
SAMAHAN NG MGA MANGGAGAWA SA HANJIN