DOLE looking into red-tagging of union members, says official

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is "reviewing" issues and concerns regarding the alleged red-tagging of labor union members and activists.

According to DOLE Bureau of Local Employment division chief Patrick Patriwirawan Jr., the agency is now in talks with stakeholders, and has put in place a mechanism to study and review issues and concerns of unions or workers organizations.

“Pinag-aaralan pa po itong mga sitwasyon na ito, so kung sa pagtatapos po ng pag-aaral or pagre-review makikita natin na may evidence or wala, doon po malalaman kung ano ‘yung magiging polisiya,” he said in The Mangahas Interviews (TMI).

(These situations are still being looked into, so upon the completion of the study or the review we see evidence or the lack thereof, that is when we will know what policies will be put in place.)

A number of local labor groups have long been calling for an end to the red-tagging of trade union members and activists, as well as the release of detained unionists who were allegedly arrested through trumped-up charges in a bid to silence them.

Patriwirawan said the dialogues will continue but declined to give a specific timeline for this.

“Ongoing pa rin naman po ‘yung dialogue natin, hindi ko po masasabi kung kailan, pero sinisiguro po natin na bukas po ang Department of Labor and Employment sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating stakeholders lalong lalo na sa mga workers organization,” he said.

(Our dialogue is still ongoing, and I cannot say when it will be completed but we ensure that the DOLE is open to coordinating with our stakeholders, especially with workers organizations.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News