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Labor group claims 99% of factories around

Kentex violate labor, safety standards
Published June 22, 2015 7:55pm By TRISHA MACAS
(http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/archives/authors/trishamacas),
GMA News
5 0 0 0 0

(http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/)
A labor coalition said that "99 percent" of the factories around Kentex
Manufacturing Corporation's plant in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City violate
basic labor laws and occupational health and safety standards.

In a statement sent to GMA News Online, the Trade Union Congress of the
Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) labor coalition said that surprise onsite
joint inspections conducted with the Department of Labor and Employment
(DOLE) and the formal labor sector of the National Anti-Poverty Commission
(NAPC) found that most of the initial 42 establishments surrounding the burned-
down slipper factory do not comply with the current mandated daily minimum
wage of P481. They also do not remit their employees' Social Security System,
PhilHealth, and Pag-Ibig premiums.

"The inspections also confirmed how widespread contractualization of labor has

become," TUCP-Nagkaisa said.

Many workers in the establishments inspected do not know how to compute their
overtime pay, night shift differentials and holiday pay, among others. They were
also not aware of other benefits such as the service incentive leave pay and
maternity, paternity and solo parent leave.

On the Occupational Safety and Health Standard aspect, Nagkaisa said that all of
the assessed establishments did not comply with the standards. The group said
that many factories around Kentex either had no fire exits or had obstructed fire
exits.

Here is a complete list of the violations, according to the labor group:

No occupational safety and health policy and program in the workplace

Poor housekeeping (unorganized materials and equipment)
Lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
No earplugs for noise pollution
No prescribed face masks for airborne contaminants
Poor workers’ toilet and washing facilities
No safety organization/committee in the workplace
No trained safety officer and first aider
Insufficient first aid kits and emergency medicines
Absence of fire exits
Obstructed fire exits
No fire drills conducted
No sprinklers
No hoist equipment permit for elevators
No electrical wiring inspection presented
No safety officer
No annual work accident and/or illness exposure data
No annual medical report
No workplace policies and guidelines for the prevention and control of
tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS
No machine guard
No welding goggles

These conclusions were made after five days of surprise inspections starting June
8.

Task Force Valenzuela

The inspections stemmed from Nagkaisa's request for DOLE to create a tripartite
task force to verify employer compliance after the Kentex factory burned down last
May 13, killing at least 70 employees.
(/news/story/486722/news/metromanila/over-60-people-missing-in-valenzuela-
factory-fire)

According to a report by Reuters, windows on the factory's second floor, where

most victims were found, were covered with steel mesh.
(/news/story/488146/news/metromanila/valenzuela-fire-exposes-abusive-
conditions-in-phl-factories)

DOLE said that the owner of Kentex also violated the Labor Code by obtaining
manpower services from an illegal subcontractor.
(/news/story/488054/news/metromanila/owner-of-factory-in-valenzuela-fire-
violated-labor-code-dole)

In response to the request, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz issued an order

creating the Task Force Valenzuela on May 29, which later 19 teams each
composed of DOLE Labor Law Compliance Officers, Nagkaisa representatives, and
officials from the formal labor sector of the NAPC.

The teams used the Labor Laws Compliance Assessment Checklist on the
compliance to the General Labor Standards (GLS) and on the Occupational Safety
and Health Standards (OSHS) to inspect the establishments around Kentex.

Task Force Valenzuela has until the end of July to finish assessing all of the
establishments in the city. — BM, GMA News

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