EDITORIAL

‘No strikes’ statement by government self-serving

The country had been strike-free the last four months, the Dept. of Labor and employment trumpeted. If there were no strikes, expect these in the near future if the people don’t feel the value of the peso. There are no strikes, because workers and militant groups are studying political developments and having a “wait-and-see” attitude following the elections. A few months from now, if people don’t foresee changes in the socio-political and economic realms for the better, expect strikes.

“The country is experiencing its most peaceful industrial climate in recent times as strikes remain nil in the last four months of the year,” the DOLE said in a statement.

In a report to Acting Labor and Employment Secretary Danilo P. Cruz, the National Conciliation and Mediation Board underscored the absence of strike in the country from February to May this year.

"This is an unprecedented record of four straight months without incidence of strike or lockout," Cruz said. "This is a significant decrease of 88 percent compared to the number of strikes registered during the same period last year," he added.

He said only the strike at Radphil Corporation in the Calabarzon area has been recorded by NCMB approaching the end of the first semester of 2007. The said strike has reportedly been settled.

Compared to the eight strikes posted during the same period last year, the number of workers affected in this year's lone strike is 94 percent lower, with only 54 as against the 919 workers involved in strikes from January to May 2006, according to DOLE statistics.

Since January, the volume of strike/lockout notices reached 150, almost equal to the 149 notices registered last year. The number of workers involved in this year's notices of strike/lockout, however, was reportedly lower, with 21,414 workers affected compared to the 27,843 workers registered last year.

Meanwhile, preventive mediation cases reportedly filed in the first five months of the year, the DOLE said, reflected an 18 percent decrease compared to last year's figures. From 399 cases filed a year ago, the number dropped to 210 this year. Preventive mediation efforts by NCMB also resulted in the settlement of monetary benefits from separation packages amounting to 12 million pesos and benefiting close to 300 workers.

The DOLE like other government agencies should instead do their job well other than issuing self-serving “praise” releases. There are better things to do for these government agencies other than crowing there are no strikes.