Justice is still elusive for the 10 retrenched workers from the Baguio Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA), who were dismissed in March last year.
BY CYE REYES
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
LABOR WATCH
Vol. VIII, No. 13, May 4-10, 2008
BAGUIO CITY (246 kms north of Manila) – Justice is still elusive for the 10 retrenched workers from the Baguio Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA), who were dismissed in March last year.
According to Mel Macalood who worked for Adriste Philippines, Inc., an Italian company that makes leather gloves and knitted products, they were dismissed one by one after they submitted to the company management in February 2007 a petition demanding the relief of their production manager who allegedly committed serious misconduct against his subordinates.
“We have bases for our complaints and it is our right to forward our grievances to the management,” said Macalood.
Their production manager was accused of threatening the workers with demotion and/or dismissal, giving unsupported low evaluation marks for the workers, insulting and humiliating his subordinates, according to the workers’ petition.
Forced resignation
After submitting their petition, the workers were surprised when they were barred from entering the premises of EPZA and were not allowed to work anymore.
“I went to work early and was shocked when they would not let me in,” said Remy Orpilla, a worker of Adriste for 27 years until she was dismissed.
Orpilla added that the company cited some alleged violations of the company rules dating back to 1997 as bases for her dismissal.
They were then given a prepared resignation letter and were forced to sign it along with a quitclaim, release and waiver. Fearing they would not be given any separation pay, the workers signed the papers under duress.
“No union policy”
“We were illegally dismissed because the company saw us as a threat since we were also the ones trying to start a union,” said Macalood adding that they started to organize themselves to form a union early last year.
According to Nida Tundagui of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU or May 1st Movement)-Cordillera, the “no-union policy” in EPZA is an unwritten policy.
“It is only a standing agreement among companies in EPZA mainly with the purpose of protecting their own interests,” said Tundagui as she went on to explain that “capital will do anything to gain more profit even if it means stomping on the rights of the workers.”
Illegal dismissal
The 10 workers filed a complaint for illegal dismissal with the Cordillera office of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC). But the complaint was soon dismissed due to “lack of merit,” with the NLRC pointing out that the workers signed their resignation letters.
“We filed a motion for reconsideration with the Manila office of the NLRC and are still waiting for the result,” said Macalood.
According to their lawyer Federico Bunao, cases like this sometimes last one to two years or even more to resolve.
Macalood said that they would not give up fighting for their rights.
Most of the retrenched workers are now still unemployed. Some take odd jobs just to make ends meet. Northern Dispatch / Posted by (Bulatlat.com)
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