TUCP/NAGKAISALEGAL STRATEGY & LEGISLATIVE

LOBBY TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY OF TENURE

(SUMMARY)

TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF THE PHILIPPINES/ NAGKAISA

Precarious Work in Asia 29th August 2014

Denpaser Bali, Indonesia

LEGAL STRATEGY LEGISLATIVE LOBBY TO CHANGE THE LAW

 1. ORGANIZE A COALITION:

BROADER BASE BUILDS CREDIBILITY AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE

1. DRAFT YOUR OWN BILL Have your aspirations turned 

into a bill Know what is negotiable and 

what is not in the bill Have a sense of democratic give-

and-take Be prepared to negotiate

 1. HAVE A BASIC DOCUMENT:

Research Paper on SOT/ Asiapro Data-based Arms you with arguments Gives counter-arguments

1. DON’T PUT YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET

Have different sponsors Have fallback version for tactical 

flexibility Have a Senate and House 

sponsor

LEGAL STRATEGY TO CHALLENGE DOLE ORDER 18A AND SEC. 106 OF LABOR

CODE

LEGISLATIVE LOBBY TO CHANGE THE LAW/ LABOR CODE

1. ORGANIZE A COALITION: BROADER BASE BUILDS CREDIBILITY AND POLITICAL INFLUENCE

1. DRAFT YOUR OWN BILL Have your aspirations turned into a 

bill Know what is negotiable and what is 

not in the bill Have a sense of democratic give-

and-take Be prepared to negotiate

2. HAVE A BASIC DOCUMENT: Research Paper on SOT/ Asiapro Data-based Arms you with arguments Gives counter-arguments

2.     DON’T PUT YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET Have different sponsors Have fallback version for tactical 

flexibility Have a Senate and House sponsor

LEGAL STRATEGY TO CHALLENGE DOLE ORDER 18A AND SEC. 106 OF LABOR

CODE

LEGISLATIVE LOBBY TO CHANGE THE LAW/ LABOR CODE

3. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY:HAVE A COMPLAINT DOCUMENT and legal issues paper (just fill in the blanks)

The issue of classification of contractors

- Necessary and desirable- Capital and equipment

3.    DIVIDE AND RULE: ASIAPRO/ COOPS AND MANPOWER AGENCIES, TARGET ONE FIRST (THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND) If you hit all, they will gang up on you Hit one first, the one most successful at 

bending the legal rules that were intended to protect workers (the others will not help him)

4. MULTIPLY YOURSELVES: Lawyers are very expensive, Let us train paralegals to file cases, hold press conferences. And to argue cases

4. COMBINE POLITICS OF CONFRONTATION WITH DIPLOMATIC MOVES Be assertive, use “occupy” tactics Be sophisticated, do “backdoor”

negotiations

LEGAL STRATEGY TO CHALLENGE DOLE ORDER 18A AND SEC. 106 OF LABOR

CODE

LEGISLATIVE LOBBY TO CHANGE THE LAW/ LABOR CODE

5. MULTIPLY YOURSELVES: Lawyers are very expensive, Let us train paralegals to file cases, hold press conferences. And to argue cases

5.     COMBINE POLITICS OF CONFRONTATION WITH DIPLOMATIC MOVES Be assertive, use “occupy” tactics Be sophisticated, do “backdoor” 

negotiations6. TO BEAT A CARTEL, YOU MUST BECOME A CARTEL: FILE CASES SIMULTANEOUSLY NATIONWIDE USING PARALEGALS Project size and national search Panic the Ministry or Department

of Labor Compel them to seek a way out

6.      CELEBRATE SMALL VICTORIES TO KEEP MORALE ALIVE AND INSPIRE ACTIVISM

LEGISLATIVE LOBBY TO CHANGE THE LAW/ LABOR CODE

LEGISLATIVE LOBBY TO CHANGE THE LAW/ LABOR CODE

7. CLOG THE LABOR COURTS  7. VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES WITH VARIOUS LEGISLATORS

8. POLITICIZE THE ISSUE  8. POSITION PAPERS/STUDIES WHEN NECESSARY

9. NEGOTIATE CHANGE IN DOLE GUIDELINES

9. GET PRESIDENTIAL CERTIFICATION OF SOT BILL

10. GENERATE CRITICAL MASS 10. ACCOMPANY BILL THROUGH LEGISLATIVE MILL

11. PUBLIC EVENTS/ MOBILIZATIONS AS NECESSARY12. PASSAGE INTO LAW

VICTORY PARTY

THANK YOU!