The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chided Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, as well as the rest of the presidential candidates for the 2022 elections, to hold discussions with workers regarding their grievances. The KMU posed the challenge after Moreno downplayed the effects of contractualization on the workers.

In a statement last October 28 in Pampanga, he downplayed contractualization by saying that “(it is) the least of my problems.” Ending the anti-worker policy is not in his platform. Instead, he said that he will focus on creating jobs.

Moreno pits the need for more jobs against the workers’ basic right to job security, decent wages, humane working conditions and other services.

Under Moreno’s term as mayor of Manila, the local government unit hires no less than 8,000 contractual employees who work entirely under the “job order” scheme.

For KMU, contractualization is a scheme that oppresses workers. “We are fed up with this scheme,” they exclaim.

KMU chairperson and Makabayan senatorial candidate Elmer “Bong” Labog said that contractualization denies the workers of their security of employment and causes severe anxiety, hardships and other mental distress to them and their families. Based on KMU’s estimates, there are at least seven to 10 million Filipino contractual workers.

The widespread scheme of contractualization is one of the many practices of capitalists in the Philippines in order to bleed the workers dry. This undermines their unions and collective bargaining and defend their rights. Under contractualization, workers are forced to accept any kind of job under any kind of working conditions.