Women workers from KMU and other groups staged a palengke dance protest Tuesday calling for Sahod, Hindi ChaCha.
They asserted that government priority must focus on wage increases, family living wage, and the end of gender-based violence in the world of work. They opposed the Charter Change peddled by the Marcos Government and slammed it as “a threat to rights and livelihood.”
“Nitong mga nagdaang linggo, nakita natin na naitulak duminig ng panukala para sa dagdag-sahod pareho ang Senado at Kongreso. Para sa manggagawang kababaihan, long overdue na ito at dapat ipasa sa lalong madaling panahon.” said Joanne Cesario, KMU Vice Chairperson for Women’s Affairs.
However, the gender pay gap in the Philippines persists. Women workers are paid at least 4.8% lower than men, according to studies by IBON, with some extreme cases reaching a 44% gap. Women continue to be sidetracked in low-paying jobs.
“Dapat ring patuloy na igiit ng mga manggagawa na makamit ang P1200 na family living wage para mabigyan ng fighting chance sa pamumuhay nang may dangal ang mga pamilyang Pilipino.”
The women workers also called for the urgent implementation of the recently ratified ILO Convention 190 on Ending Gender-Based Violence in the World of Work.
“Nakakadismaya para sa manggagawang kababaihan na mabilis na tugunan at ipasa ang mga batas tungkol sa dagdag-sahod at implementasyon ng ILO C190, napakabusy ng Kongreso sa pagraratsada ng ChaCha. May wage hearing nga last week pero mukhang sinagasaan ng ChaCha ngayong linggo.” she added.
KMU Called on all workers, women, LGBTQIA and men, to march as one on March 8, International Working Women’s Day with the banner call, “Iindak ang Adyenda ng Kababaihan, Hindi ChaCha ng Dayuhan at Iilan!”
“Sama-samang pag-indak. Sama-samang pagkilos. ‘Yan ang main ingredient sa pagpapanalo natin sa ating mga laban – sa dagdag sahod, sa pagwawakas ng karahasan at sa pagbabasura sa ChaCha! Sama-sama tayong magmartsa at umindak sa Marso Otso!” Cesario concluded.