Media Advisory
August 28, 2018
Partido Manggagawa
Contact Rene Magtubo @ 09178532905
Cigarette workers protest at DOLE today, strike nears
What: Picket-protest by workers DOLE conducts mediation
When: Today, August 28, 12:00 noon
Where: DOLE Intramuros
Members of the Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Labor Union (PMFTCLU-NAFLU) will hold another picket today while the DOLE convenes another mediation hearing.
The union is set to hold a strike vote in a few days. A strike can then be held seven days after a majority of union members vote yes.
The labor dispute at the leading cigarette manufacturer is part of a rising wave of workers unrest. Scores of notices of strike have been filed and strikes are erupting in various companies.
The cigarette company shutdown its Vigan, Ilocos Sur redrying plant affecting 90 workers and also laid off 220 workers (1/3 of some 600 workforce) at Marikina factory three weeks ago.
In response the union filed notice of strike on August 9 and started protests. Yesterday the union held a general assembly to finalize plans for the strike vote.
Management alleges "rightsizing" is due to forthcoming impact of TRAIN and other factors. Union avers shutdown and layoff is attended by bad faith and deceit as the basis and terms of the shutdown and layoff were not subject to negotiation.
Moreover management admitted that the company is profitable and workers have achieved the target key performance indicators. Thus the union is lambasting management for termination as a "reward" for labor productivity.
Some P2.35B or 65% of the P 3.63B total income of the Lucio Tan Group for the first quarter of this year came from its tobacco business.
Photos of the various union protests and activities at https://www.facebook.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment