Shaved Haircut For Salary Increase

PRESS RELEASE
September 13, 2004

Health Workers of the Philippine General Hospital and the University of the Philippines Manila today have their heads shaved, in order to dramatize their call for a P3,000.00 across the board salary increase for all government employees. The shaved haircut was a form of protest to the apathy of the national government on the flight of ordinary government employees, amidst the continued rise of prices of petroleum, fare, services and basic commodities. The shaved haircut also symbolizes the government workers’ going bald in thinking of means to make both ends meet amidst the ever-increasing prices of goods and services. Finally, the shave haircut symbolizes the near desperation, or “almost like a death-row convict” state of government workers under the regime of President GMA. The activity is spearheaded by the All U.P. Workers Union - Manila. Their demand is written in their cleanly shaven heads.

"Yes, there was a fiscal crisis, as a matter of fact the problem of uncontrollable budget deficit by the national government has started way back in 1981. But, this was largely due to overwhelming graft and corruption by high ranking officials and their cronies, and the liberalization policies enforced by the government. This results to undelivered or substandard projects and diminishing revenues by both the BIR and the Bureau of Customs. It also results to economic dislocation of our local farmers, as well the small and medium industries,” said Jossel Ebesate, the Union’s Chapter President. “We also believed that our government have skewed priorities in the allocation of its budget. For the 2005 budget proposal of P907.6B for example, P645.9B was earmarked for debt payment (interest and principal), leaving only the crumbs for basic services like health, education, and other social services. Primitive logic would tell us that between someone’s food to eat and debt from nearby sari-sari store, one would always prioritize food. This contrasts to our government who would tell its largely impoverished people to save even more so that it can continually pay its foreign debts some of which was not even utilized for productive purposes.

“Our demand of P3,000.00 across the board salary increase is just a token increase (pantawid gutom). Our families now barely eat three square meals a day, the Filipinos are sick. We cannot take this by just sitting down. We’ve been asking this for years! And yet the government played blind, instead they kept giving higher appropriations on debt servicing and the military” said Ely Estropigan, a Union supporter.

Aside from the All U.P. Workers Union, the said activity was supported by the All U.P. Academic Employees’ Union, the PGH - Physicians’ Association, the Utility Workers Association of PGH, and the Alliance of Health Workers. xxx

AUPWU Manila Spearheads the 97th PGH Foundation Anniversary Sportsfest

The All U.P. Workers Union, Manila Chapter contingent during the opening day parade of all participants to 2004 Sportsfest in commemoration of the 97th PGH Foundation Anniversary held on August 16-20, 2004. Mr. Jossel I. Ebesate, AUPWU Manila Chapter President, chaired the Sports Subcommittee in the 97th PGH Foundation Anniversary Committee

Magpakatotoo Ka, Administrasyong Nemenzo

NO! Sa Bawas Sa Cash Incentive!
YES! Sa Dagdag Na Benepisyo!
YES NA YES! Sa Isang Sakong Bigas Bawat Quarter!

Hango mula sa: PANDAYAN
Opisyal na Pahayagan ng All U.P. Workers Union at
All-U.P. Academic Employees Union
Espesyal na Isyu Hulyo 2004

Sa tuwing tayo ay hihingi ng dagdag na benepisyo katulad ng rice subsidy, ang sinasabi ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ay wala o kulang ang savings ng UP. Sumusobra na ba tayo sa ating mga hinihingi? Di ba natin nababalanse ang ating mga hinihingi sa pang-akademikong misyon ng Unibersidad?

MGA KAPWA KAWANI: MAKATWIRAN AT MAKATARUNGAN ANG ATING MGA KAHILINGAN. KAYA NG ADMINISTRASYONG NEMENZO NA IBIGAY ANG APAT NA SAKONG BIGAS BAWAT TAON AT ANG IBA PANG PANG-EKONOMIYANG BENEPISYONG NAKAPALOOB SA ATING COLLECTIVE NEGOTIATION AGREEMENT.

Mainam na suriin natin ang ilang mga datos pampinansya na galing mismo sa Quezon Hall para muling ipahayag na makakayanan ng administrasyong ito na ipatupad ang nilalaman ng CNA na pinimarhan mismo ni Presidente Nemenzo.

1. Nakapaglaan sila ng P295 milyon para sa Academic Distinction Fund at Creative and Research Scholarship Fund noong Nobyembre 25, 1999. Dito kinukuha ang tig P50,000 gantimpala sa bawat faculty o REPS na nakapagpalabas ng artikulo sa isang international refereed journal. Sa laki ng halagang inilaan para dito, nakasasapat na ang interes bawat taon ng pondo para matustusan ang taunang pagbibigay ng gantimpala.
   
   Samantala para sa mahigit na 9,000 kawani, P5 milyon lamang ang inilaan nitong Hunyo 15, 2004 para sa Administrative Personnel Development Fund. Masyado naman yata ang laki ng agwat ng P295 milyon at P5 milyon! Ang bait, bait nila, di ba?
   
   
2. Ayon sa UP Newsletter nitong Hunyo 28, 2004, ang UP System ay may revolving fund (RF) na P680.553 milyon habang ang PGH ay may P255.150 milyon. Ayon din sa naturang isyu ng UP Newsletter, kadalasa’y 75% hanggang 80% ang nagagamit mula sa RF para pandagdag sa panustos sa operasyon ng Unibersidad.
   
   Kung gayon, mga P544 milyon (80% ng P680.553 milyon RF ng UP System) ang magagamit para sa taong ito at may matitirang mahigit na P138 milyon bilang savings. Mga P36 milyon lamang ang katumbas ng apat na sakong bigas bawat kawani na hinihiling ng Unyon bilang pagpapatupad sa nilalaman ng ating CNA. Di ba kayang ibigay? Sa totoo lang, pati bahagi ng ating back COLA ay kaya ding ibigay kung nanaisin lamang ng Administrasyong Nemenzo.
   
   
3. May P10,000 pala bawat taon ang mga opisyal ng UP para sa kanilang annual executive check up, samantalang para sa mga empleyado at mga karaniwang guro ng UP ay di pa umaabot ng P200 ang nakalaan para sa ating annual physical exam.
   
   Di ba sila nahihiya niyan? Sila na ang malalaki ang sweldo at may mga RATA/honorarium, de kalidad pa ang kanilang check up habang kararampot lang ang halagang nakalaan para sa ating kalusugan.
   
   
4. Sa ilang pulong ng mga opisyal ng UP, tumitira sila sa mga mahahaling hotel tulad ng Waterfront Hotel sa Cebu at Camp John Hay sa Baguio.
   
   
5. Itinaas ang honorarium ng matataas na opisyal ng UP na matataas na ang sahod at may mga RATA pa ang pangunahing nakikinabang dito dahil sa sangkaterbang komite ang kanilang inuupuan. Hinahamon natin ang Administrasyong Nemenzo na magpalabas ng listahan ng mga kasapi ng lahat ng mga komite na may honorarium sa UP System at UP Diliman para malaman ng madla kung sino ang nakakatangap ng halos P20,000 bawat buwan mula lamang sa honorarium sa committee membership!
   
   
6. Tiyak na hindi maipagkaila ng Administrasyong Nemenzo na may investment ang UP dahilan sa may investment office ang Unibersidad sa ilalim ng Office of the Vice President for Finance at lalong tiyak na may investment tayo sa treasury notes/bonds at mga time deposits sa Land Bank at DBP. Sa ating palagay, kahit 1/4th lamang ng interes ng isang time deposit kaya nang matustusan nito ang apat na sakong bigas bawat taon para sa lahat ng kawani ng UP at kaya din ang bahagi ng ating back pay ng COLA.

Uulitin natin, kaya ng Administrasyong Nemenzo na ibigay ang apat na sakong bigas bawat taon para sa mga kawani ng Unibersidad at ang iba pang pang-ekonomiyang benepisyong nakapaloob sa ating CNA. Pero tulad ng iba pang mga laban natin sa nakaraan, kailangang maipakita natin ang ating pagkakaisa at sama-sama nating igiit ang ating mga kahilingan.

Paghandaan nating mabuti ang ating mga susunod na pagkilos; kung kinakailangan tayong mag mass leave gawin natin.

Makiisa, sama-sama nating ipaglaban ang ating dagdag na benepisyo!

Igiit ang mga tagumpay na nakamtan natin sa ating Collective Negotiation Agreement!

_________________________________________________________________
Mga Tanong ng mga Kawani na Hindi Kayang Sagutin ng Unyon:

??? Nagkukulang na ba ng kwalipikadong faculty ang UP? Bakit triple ang responsibilidad ni Prop. Erlinda Echanis? Siya na ang Dean ng College of Business Administration; siya pa ang Officer-in-Charge ng opisina ng Vice-President for Finance at siya pa ang OIC ng UP System Budget Office!!

??? Ano ang nangyari at biglang nagkaroon ng bagong restoran sa loob ng UP Diliman? Ang Tree House na kadikit ng Institute of Small Scale Industries (ISSI) ay bagong bukas at nagsisilbi pa ng beer. Paano nangyari ito Vice Chancellor Pineda: yung may restoran at pagpayag na magsilbi ng beer sa loob ng campus? Magkano ang upa nito sa UP at saan napupunta ang upa?

Baka alam ninyo ang sagot sa mga tanong na ito. Pakipaabot lamang sa unyon!

_oOo_

AUPWU Manila Joins the 2004 SONA Rally

All UP Workers Union Manila's Contingents to the Rally on 2004 State of the Nation Address of the President of the Republic (Shown here in a Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) banner)

A Hectic Week Full of Surprises

It was such a very hectic week for the union.

On Monday, July 5, our Chapter President attended the 28th General Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Bishops-Businessmen's Conference as the Union representative. Our union was extended with an invitation by the said group.

Wednesday afternoon, our Chapter President again, attended the All Government Employees' Unity Conference at the Pacemaker Conference Room of the Philippine Heart Center. He also attended the said conference as the Secretary General of the Alliance of Health Workers. The conference was about the campaign for P3,000.00 across-the-board monthly salary increase for all government employees which will be backstopped by the Confederation for Unity, Reform and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT). Highlights of the Conference were the adoption of a Unity Statement and the General Program of Action.

On Thursday noon, our Chapter President was requested by the Chair of the PGH Uniform Committee to attend her on-going meeting with the Administrative Officers of PGH at the Director's Conference Room. This is to clarify our letter dated June 28, 2004 on our querries related to the uniform of the administrative support personnel. It was established that indeed the PGH Uniform Committee has yet to finalize their final recommendation for the 2005 uniform of all sectors in the hospital. And that the Memorandum of Mrs. Teresita Venturina who claimed to be the Chair of the Administrative Group Uniform Committee, which was the basis of the Administrative Officers and other Heads of Administrative Offices solicitation of orders from their subordinates for the La Marina as their chosen seamstress or cloth supplier was only intended as a survey. However, our Chapter President clarified that in the absence of a final recommendation on the cut, color and cloth for the 2005 uniform by the PGH Uniform Committee, much more the endorsement by the PGH Director and the approval and corresponding issuance of an Administrative Order or Memorandum from the UP Manila Chancellor, such move by Mrs. Venturina and heads of Administrative Offices maybe considered illegal. He further advice the group to go back to the specific powers delegated to the PGH Uniform Committee when it was formed by the PGH Director.

On Friday, July 9, 2004 at 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM, the 5th meeting of the University Management-Health Workers Consultative Council (UMHWCC) was held at the UP Manila Board Room. The UMHWCC was created by the Chancellor in July of last year upon the request and submission of a position paper by the Union. The AUPWU Manila Chapter President and Vice President was the Chair and Vice Chair of the Health Workers Panel, respectively.

The following were some of the adopted measures:

First, the Memorandum drafted for the Chancellor by the UMHWCC since December 2003 regarding the clarification of "pending case" and the creation of Fact-Finding bodies at the Unit Level will be submitted immediately to the Chancellor for issuance as soon as possible. It was held in abeyance during the 4th UMHWCC Meeting on April 2004 in deference to a systemwide consultation workshop of all University Legal Counsels and upon the motion of Atty. Zaldy Docena, UP Manila's Chief Legal Officer. Considering however, that the content of the draft memo does not contradict with any of the provisions of the proposed Uniform Rules on Administrative Procedures of UP, the UMHWCC resolved to have the draft memorandum, issued as soon as possible

Second, the study by the Technical Working Group on the CNA provision for 50% discount on PGH Confinement Fees by U.P. retirees, will be revised. It will be commented by the PGH Administration, the Chair of the Health Workers Panel, the Chair of the Management Panel and the UP Manila Chancellor. When everything were already agreed upon, it will be forwarded to the UP System Administration through Vice President Martin Gregorio for their final consideration, possibly, the implemention of the said CNA provision.

Third, the Technical Working Work was tasked to study the proposal to have a uniform rate of hospitalization discounts for all PGH and UP Manila employees. Format will be the same as the study on 50% discount in PGH of UP retirees. Draft Report will be expected to come out before the next UMHWCC Meeting

Fourth, the immediate implementation for UP Manila's Academic Units, of the 2% Salary Increase for employees with graduate degrees. The Internal Guidelines in PGH will likewise be reviewed and revised accordingly, to have a uniform guidelines for all UP Manila units (including the hospital).

Fifth, the assurance by the Management Panel to look for means by which the UP Manila Administration would help the affected casual employees who were downgraded from monthly wage earner to daily wage earner based on a September 2003 Memorandum Circular from the DBM without prior notice. Considering that even the UP System has not implemented this DBM Circular, such action of a midnight implementation of daily wage for UP Manila's casuals, constitutes a traitorious stab to the very core of the Chancellor's vision for a "Socially Responsive University." Further, the reaction of Vice Chancellor Simbulan (who is the chair of the Management Panel suggests a case of "the right hand does not know what the left hand has been doing." WE in the Union will get into the bottom of this incident as soon as the Chancellor reports back to work on July 16, 2004.

Sixth, the PGH Administration as represented by Deputy Diretor Mario Festin, will look into the request of OR Complex Utility Workers to have a share also of the private duty scheme in the Pay OR.

Seventh, U.P.'s College of Dentistry proposed to implement a dental care program for all administrative employees in coordination with the Department of Hospital Dentistry.

1st Chapter Trainors' Training Held

Participant's to the "1st Trainors' Training for Basic and Advance Public Sector Unionism
("Militante, Progresibo at Makabayang Unyonismo" and "Ang Unyon at Ang Lipunan")
Held on July 8 - 10, 2005 at the Executive House of the Department of National Defense
Navy Base, Baguio City

Fight Against Graft and Corruption Miserably Lost to the President of the Republic

President Gloria Macapapagal Arroyo appears to be oblivious of the problem that is graft and corruption. It is for this reason perhaps that all big fishes who have been accused of committing graft and corruption in her government especially those who appear to be close to her, almost always go scot free.

In her speech today during the 28th General Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Bishops-Businessmen's Conference, she highlighted it with a concrete example on how the bishops and businessmen would be able to help the government in its fight against graft and corruption. She narrated a situation that in a small island barangay where there is no effective pressence of the church such as a regular catechesis class for youngsters, people would eventually grow to become "ammoral" as she termed it; and stealing becomes a way of life. According to her, these people from the barrios who would eventually migrate to the urban areas to work as househelp, employees in private corporations and in the government becomes the "usual suspect" in graft and corruption. She then hurled a challenge that in order to prevent a systemic culture of graft and corruption in the government, the Bishops and businessmen should pitch-in by providing programs of Values Formation to all barangays in the country.

Nothing in her speech did she says that she was committed to fight graft and corruption in the government by starting on the big fishes especially those who were, in one way or another have connections in her Administration.

How ironic that while the Bishops and businessmen who were present in the meeting were very much serious about the problem of graft and corruption in government that were committed in mass scale by big self-serving interest groups in almost every Administration of our blighted Republic, here comes the newly elected President of the Republic, declares that the cause of it all were the small, less educated people from the barrios.

No wonder that this President has declared before that one of the terrorists in our midst are the union leaders and their followers - almost all ordinary people from the barrios.