10 November 2014 - The National Labor Relations Board in Newark (NLRB) hosted Philippine Consulate General officials from New York in viewing via webcast of the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, represented by Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Cuisia, Jr., and the NLRB national office represented by General Counsel Mr. Richard Griffin in Washington DC. 

Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon Jr. and Consul Felipe Carino III attended the live webcast at the NLRB-Newark office last October 22 hosted by Mr. David Leach, Regional Director of NLRB-Newark.  Also in attendance were Mr. Geoffrey Dunham, Deputy Regional Attorney (Region 22), Ms. Laura El-Rashedy, Supervisory Attorney, NLRB Newark, and Ms. Colleen Pierce-Breslin, Trial Attorney, NLRB-Brooklyn.

The agreement seeks to strengthen bilateral efforts to provide Filipino workers, their employers, and Filipino business owners in the US with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act.

In his remarks during the event, Ambassador Cuisia said, “We welcome the opportunity of entering into worker-related bilateral agreements such as this MOU, as a step forward in the fulfillment of our mandate to protect worker rights.”

After the event, a meeting was held to discuss collaborative efforts in the implementation of the MOU in line with policies of the current administration.

According to Mr. Leach, “The Obama administration is working on legislation to require all business establishments and private businesses to post workers’ rights in the premises.”  Now, cities and states across the United States have different rules on posting workers’ rights in the premises that vary state to state.

The NLRB was created to protect the rights of workers who come together to discuss working conditions, unions or right to unionize, and activities promoting workplace democracy, in general.

Consul General De Leon said that many Filipino-American employees and employers will benefit from this agreement citing the need for community-wide awareness campaign.  Initially, he identified Filipino-American Chambers of Commerce in the region and Philippine Nurses’ Association of New Jersey and New York who can gain valuable insights on the law and promote labor rights and obligations in the work place. 

Mr. Leach emphasized that education in the work place must be a common goal of both employer and employee and requested the Consulate General’s help to facilitate connection with Filipino community business owners and members where NLRB can make a short presentation.

Consul General De Leon conveyed his commitment to partner with NLRB to generate awareness of workers’ rights by involving them community-led projects and identifying platforms in community and Consulate outreach activities for NLRB presentations beginning with training for the Consulate staff.  END