Labor coalition seeks review of health workers' allowances, benefits

A labor coalition lauded health care workers on the Day of Valor, calling on the government to hold a dialogue to discuss the frontliners’ risk allowances and benefits.

In a statement, NAGKAISA Labor Coalition emphasized the role of medical workers in battling the COVID-19 pandemic asking for solidarity in sustaining their fight against the virus.

The unions under Nagkaisa stated that the COVID-19 situation was getting worse with more or less 10,000 new cases daily.

"The health care system is in a critical situation as the nation is in a difficult time. Hospitals in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces are overwhelmed by COVID infected patients. Together we need to look for options.," the Nagkaisa Coalition said.

Nagkaisa is also seeking a dialogue with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Health next week.

The tentative date for the dialogue with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is on April 13.

The labor coalition said they will demand the review of the P5,000 Special Risk Allowance (SRA) for healthcare workers assigned to red and green COVID-19 areas.

The red area is where the COVID-19 patients are being accommodated. Healthcare workers assigned in this area are the only ones covered by the SRAs, according to Nagkaisa.

“We do not wish our health system to fall, but we expect to remove or end the red and green discrimination at the workplace. Discrimination ferments demoralization and hostility among workers and between them and their employers," the health care workers said in their letter.

They are also seeking for the inclusion of security guards, janitors, assistants, orderlies, dieticians, pharmacists, medical technologists, radio technologists, ambulance drivers, cashiers, and finance personnel, among others, in the SRAs.

A timely release of the SRA every month was included in the labor coalition's demands.

Apart from that, Nagkaisa appealed to Congress to extend the P100,000 compensation for healthcare workers who will contract the disease and the P1 million death benefit, both of which are set to expire on June 30.

The labor groups were also asking for paid quarantine leave for all healthcare and frontline workers.

The Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) was also asked to consider COVID-19 as an occupational disease, especially for those who work in healthcare facilities and other frontline jobs.

Meanwhile, the coalition also sought financial assistance for workers who suffered from “no-work, no-pay” policies during the enhanced community quarantine.

Last week, Senator Sonny Angara, sponsor of Bayanihan To Recover As One Act in Senate, announced that the benefits granted to frontline workers provided under the said law will remain despite the measure’s expiration on June 30.

Bayanihan 2 provides that health workers who contract COVID-19 while in the line of duty will each receive P15,000 for mild or moderate cases and P100,000 for severe or critical cases. In case of death, the family of the health worker will get P1 million.

Apart from the compensation, other benefits due to healthcare workers under Bayanihan 2 will also be granted while the country is under a state of national emergency, Angara said.

These benefits include:

• Monthly special risk allowance for all public and private health workers directly catering to or in contact with COVID-19 patients;
• Actual hazard duty pay for all health workers serving in the frontline;
• Assumption of all medical expenses of public and private health workers in case of exposure to COVID-19 or any work-related injury or disease; and
• Life insurance, accommodation, transportation and meals to all public and private health workers.

— DVM, GMA News