Labor groups launch signature drive for EO vs. endo

Julius Cainglet, vice president for Research, Advocacy and Partnerships Federation of Free Workers (FFW) – Nagkaisa said their target is to gather a million signatures, which they would submit to the Chief Executive. (Photo: Dyul Cainglet/Facebook)

MANILA — A group of labor organizations on Tuesday launched the one million signature campaign to urge President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the executive order (EO) prohibiting labor contractualization.

Julius Cainglet, vice president for Research, Advocacy and Partnerships Federation of Free Workers (FFW) – Nagkaisa said their target is to gather a million signatures, which they would submit to the Chief Executive.

“Our target is signatures, both printed and online petition. We are planning of a one week action from March 12 to 15, during the first two days, March 12 and 13, we will submit it to Malacanang,” he said.

“We will ask for an audience with the Office of the Executive Secretary to formally receive it and submit to the President,” the FFW official added.

Cainglet said that they are looking to bring their campaign to factories, public markets, churches, poor communities, under the LRT and MRT, to ask the support of the public.

On the other hand, Rene Magtubo, president of Partido Manggagawa (PM) believed that the current draft EO, which they submitted is “realistic… something fairer, more decent.”

“This proposed EO is where the trade union movement stands united, this is now where contractualization must fall,” he added.

Earlier this month, the President and several labor groups met in Malacanang to discuss the EO, where the former asked for more time or until March 15 to study their proposal.