NLRB, Philippines Sign MOU to Help Filipino Workers in the U.S.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) designed to strengthen their collaborative efforts to provide Filipino workers, their employers, and Filipino business owners in the United States with information, guidance, and access to education regarding their rights and responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRB is the independent government agency responsible for enforcing the NLRA, the primary law governing relations between employers and employees in the private sector. The act guarantees workers the right to join together, with or without a union, to improve their wages and working conditions, or to refrain from such activities. Employers and employees alike are protected from unfair labor practices. Under the framework, the NLRB and the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., as well as NLRB Regional Offices and Philippine Consulates nationwide, will cooperate to provide outreach, education, and training, and to develop best practices. The framework has been used by other federal labor agencies, including the Department of Labor, which have similar agreements with the Philippine Embassy and its consulates. The agreement is aimed to promote a broader awareness within the Filipino community of the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers, along with the services that the NLRB provides.