CAGAYAN de Oro City— Stronger unions, collective bargaining and better-paying, secure jobs should be part of the country’s continuing pursuit of democracy, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) said Sunday.

The labor group made the call as the country observed the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, arguing that political freedoms restored after 1986 should be matched by greater economic security for workers.

“May boses sa presinto, pero takot magsalita sa pabrika. Malaya sa balota, subalit nakasangla na ang ATM o gipit sa bawat kinsenas,” FFW president Atty. Sonny Matula said.

Matula said democracy should not end at the ballot box but should also be reflected in workplaces through the freedom to organize, collective bargaining, fair wages and opportunities for workers to improve their lives.

The FFW urged workers to form or join unions and use collective bargaining to negotiate for better wages, job security, workplace safety and benefits.

“Kung may upuan ang negosyo sa hapag ng pagpapasya, dapat may upuan din ang paggawa,” Matula said.

The group also linked workers’ purchasing power to the growth of the middle class, saying stable jobs and sufficient incomes allow families to spend on education, health care, housing and savings while supporting local businesses.

But the FFW’s call for a “living wage” is distinct from the legally mandated minimum wage. 

The National Wages and Productivity Commission describes minimum wage as a statutory wage floor, while a living wage is a broader benchmark tied to the needs of workers and their families.

In Northern Mindanao, the current minimum wage ranges from P485 to P500 per day under Wage Order No. RX-24. 

Cagayan de Oro falls under Wage Category I, with a P500 daily minimum wage.

The FFW is also calling for stronger protection of the right to organize and bargain collectively, secure employment, and affordable health care, education and housing.

For Matula, the “Never again” message associated with the post-Martial Law period should also include the economic realities faced by ordinary workers.

“Ang demokrasya ay hindi lamang karapatang bumoto,” he said. “Dapat itong maramdaman sa lugar-paggawa—sa kalayaang mag-unyon, sa lakas ng collective bargaining, sa sapat na sahod, at sa pagkakataong umunlad ang bawat pamilya.”