Progressive Solons Back Lepanto Mines
Strike
After deliberating on
the impeachment complaint, is it possible that the House of
Representatives will now discuss an issue as local as the plight of
striking workers at the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMCo)?
Progressive lawmakers hope so.
BY ABIGAIL BENGWAYAN
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat
BAGUIO CITY —
Party-list groups Bayan Muna (BM, or People First), Gabriela Women’s Party
(GWP) and Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) Aug. 29 filed House Resolution No.
923 calling on the House of Representatives Committee on Labor and
Employment to conduct an inquiry in “aid of legislation into the unfair
labor practices of (LCMCo) including the harassment, physical violence,
arbitrary arrests and detention being made against their 1,685 striking
workers.”
Reps. Crispin Beltran
and Rafael Mariano (Anakpawis); Liza Maza (GWP); Satur Ocampo, Joel
Virador and Teodoro Casiño (BM) said in the resolution that the Lepanto
management has clearly violated numerous provisions of the Labor Code that
“afford full protection to labor and assure the rights of workers to form
unions, to collective bargaining and to strike.” They added that the
mining company violated Article II, Section 18 of the Constitution which
provides that the State shall protect the rights and welfare of workers.
The House committee
was urged to come up with measures to protect the rights of the workers
who have been on strike for three months and are facing harassment and
intimidation reportedly by the national police and the management.
To date, the Lepanto
management has refused to reinstate the dismissed union officers as
demanded by the strikers.
Lepanto Employees
Union (LEU) president Ninian Lang-agan said that he was grateful to the
three party-list groups. He said their move proved that they are genuinely
upholding the rights and welfare of their constituents.
He hopes that the
resolution will be approved by the House and that the inquiry will be
fruitful.
A local community
newspaper also reported that lawyer Weldy Manlong, LCMCo operations
manager, welcomed the resolution. With reports from Kim Quitasol /
Bulatlat
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