Unfair labor practices prevalent in malls

MALLS HAVE been sprouting all over the country, a development that looks good on the surface, but if you look at the other side of it, we’re not getting from these malls a fair deal.

1. They charge their patrons exorbitant parking fees. In most countries like the United States, malls don’t charge customers parking fees.

2. They indirectly practice unfair labor. Under our labor law, an employee can be employed only as contractual employee up to six months; but mall owners get away with this by hiring contractual employees from employment agencies for five months only. This allows the mall owners to skirt laws mandating them to provide medical, social security, sick leave and other basic benefits that are due regular employees. Thus, contractual employees, like the poor salesgirls and baggers, have to look for another job after five months and “hop” from one mall to another, enjoying not even the most basic of benefits or security of tenure.

3. I also learned that some mall operators charge those leasing mall spaces not only a monthly rental but also a percentage of gross sales, a practice that smacks of greed.

These are just a few things that would explain why this country is making the rich filthy richer and the poor poorer. Congress should look into unfair labor and trade practices instead of debating on petty issues.

—RICKIE FERNANDO,

3768 Aster Rd.,

Sun Valley, Parañaque City