DOLE launches info drive on ‘endo’

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is mounting a massive information drive to clarify issues on the government’s campaign against contractualization.

“I ordered all regional directors to go all out in informing the public, particularly the employers and workers, that we are serious in our target of reducing ‘endo’ (end of contract) practice by 50 percent by 2016 and abolishing it by 2017,” DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a statement. Bello said regional directors were also directed to double efforts in undertaking consultations and dialogues with workers and employers, including priority industries where illegitimate contractualization and “endo” practices were most prevalent. Among the priority industries are hotels and restaurants, manufacturing, health and wellness, malls, food chains, agricultural plantation and corporate farms. Through the conduct of orientations, Bello said DOLE would be also able to clarify and address issues being raised by employers and workers on the government’s efforts to end illegitimate contractualization. Bello said DOLE was developing a frequently asked question (FAQ) pamphlet that would be disseminated nationwide. The said FAQ would also be posted on the websites of DOLE offices and agencies. “There is a need to clarify and clearly define the concept of labor only-contacting engagements, status of employment and the instances which might lead to the circumvention of the law,” Bello explained. Some employers are claiming the campaign against contractualization is disastrous to the economy and violative of their rights. Workers, on the other hand, insist that all forms of contractualization are illegal and violates the workers’ right to security of tenure. Under the law, labor-only contracting or arrangement where the contractor or subcontractor merely recruits, supplies or places workers to perform a job, work or service for a principal is prohibited. DOLE recognizes that illegitimate contractualization or “endo” practices exist in both bilateral and trilateral employment relationships, Bello said.