Precarious work: The unsolved problem of contractualization and its effects on contractual workers in the public sector

• Main Authors: Pamis, Edgar Allan L., Edralin, Divina M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2020
• Subjects: Contract system (Labor)—Philippines; Work, Economy and Organizations
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/10938
• Institution: De La Salle University

Precarious work refers to “forms of work characterized by atypical employment contracts, limited or no social benefits and statutory entitlements, high degrees of job insecurities, low job tenure, low wages and high risks of occupational injury and diseases” (Evans and Gibb see also in Edralin, 2013). From a workers’ point of view, it is related to uncertain, unpredictable, and risky employment. In the Philippines, contractualization can be described as precarious work wherein employment is pegged for a definitive short time, and this type of employment is popularly known as “Endo” or “5-5-5.” Contractualization does not only exist in the private sector. This mode of employment has been a problem of the public sector as well, since time immemorial.This study aims to provide literature on contractualization of employees in the public sector, to describe the impact of precarious work practices in the public sector concerning contractual employees, and to recognize the problem of precarious work in the public sector, and be able to provide recommendations to address this problem.To achieve these objectives, a survey was conducted in three different government agencies in the Philippines employing contractual workers. These three government agencies are located within Metro Manila. A total of sixty (60) valid responses from contractual workers were used for the data analysis.The effects of precarious work on the contractual workers include non-unionism, procuring of multiple jobs, stressful and hazardous working conditions on health, decreased quality of life, non-receipt of full regular employment benefits, high unemployment rate, additional government expenditure on health and social services, a perception that the current tax system is a burden to contractual employees, and the desire to amend laws to prohibit contractualization.