Group appeals for aid for Mactan ecozone workers in Cebu

The massive damage resulting from Typhoon Odette included the infrastructure of factories in Metro Cebu, the Mactan Economic Zone in Lapu-Lapu City and the southern part of the province. As a result, thousands of ecozone workers are temporarily out of work due to the damaged factories. “Thus, we are appealing for aid for the affected workers from the government as well as the companies too,” stated Dennis Derige, spokesperson of the Cebu chapter of the Partido Manggagawa (PM).

 

PM welcomed the announcement from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that it is extending assistance for some 25,000 informal workers worth P100 million through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). But Derige asserted that affected workers in the formal sector desperately need support too.

 

Citing informants from the Mactan Export Processing Zone Workers Association (MEPZWA), Derige reported that the factory of the biggest employer in the Mactan Ecozone has been damaged and as a result its more than 14,000 workers are without work until January 17. In contrast, just before Odette hit the Philippines, those workers were supposed to work through the Christmas holidays due to a large shipment of apparel. Another garment factory in the Mactan Ecozone employing more than 3,000 workers was also severely damaged and their workers too are on forced leave. Just these two companies already comprise almost a fifth of the total 100,000 workers in the Mactan Ecozone.

 

“Even outside of the Mactan Ecozone, other manufacturing and service establishments are not operating either due to actual damage from the typhoon or the lack of electricity. For example, one food processing company is closed in the meantime for lack of electricity and so its 130 employees are temporarily jobless without an assurance when they will be back at work,” Derige declared.

 

“It is the government that is in the position to provide immediate relief both to workers in the formal and informal sector. Everybody has suffered and no one must be left behind in the relief and rehabilitation effort. We hope that the DOLE hears the plea of MEPZWA and other Cebu workers,” Derige insisted.

 

He added that “Nonetheless we also ask companies to provide support to their own employees as they are more than capable. Just before Odette, Mactan Ecozone locators were already operating normally. And for a decade and half before the blip of the pandemic, business was booming for firms inside and outside the Mactan Ecozone. But while productivity rose by 50% and revenues doubled in 15 years, real wages have stagnated. At this dark hour of disaster, we call on employers to share the fruits of labor with their workers.”

 

Derige cited that one unionized mining company in Cebu already gave a P5,000 ayuda to all of its employees and extended a P20,000 calamity loan payable in one year without interest. This should be a model for others, he asserted.

December 27, 2021

Workers doubt DOLE claim of new regulars

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) expressed doubt on the announcement of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) that 25,000 contractuals have been regularized. DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello made the claim in a press conference in Malacanang.

“As much as we welcome thousands upon thousands of endo workers becoming regular employees, we are skeptical of DOLE’s claim because our own experience is that employers are extremely resistant to regularization,” declared Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

Meanwhile PM, together with other groups like the Philippine Airlines union PALEA and the labor center SENTRO, today held a rally at the DOLE main office to push for an “end endo” formula of regulation and prohibition of subcontracting of regular jobs. The protest today is a buildup for the big nationwide mobilization by workers on November 30 to highlight the call to stop all forms of contractualization, including outsourcing.

Magtubo added that “We know for a fact that the DOLE has not been able to enforce regularization of workers in numerous instances. To cite a few examples. One is a Japanese-owned electronics factory in the Cavite ecozone that has refused to regularize hundreds of its agency workers despite an order from the DOLE. Second is the PALEA 600 who have not been reinstated by Philippine Airlines as regular workers despite a settlement agreement that provides for it. Finally the case of 149 Pizza Hut contractual workers who were retrenched when they sought regularization but have been reinstated only as agency workers.”

“The contagion of contractualization is spreading instead of being contained. In Toledo City in Cebu province, a large mining company is laying off workers who will then be hired as contractuals in agencies to do the same work. So we ask DOLE: Show us the 25,000 new regulars!,” Magtubo averred.

He quipped that “It seems that the news of 25,000 newly regularized workers is fake similar to posts in Mocha Uson's controversial blog,” he insisted.

Magtubo also slammed Bello’s endorsement of the employers’ “win-win” formula on contractualization. “The so-called win-win formula of the employers and now the DOLE will not end endo. The ‘win-win’ scheme is a scam that will lead to the utter proliferation of outsourcing and contracting out of regular jobs in the principal employers. The Labor Secretary is turning his back on the participants to the three Labor Summits convened by the DOLE in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who resolved to end all forms of contractualization,” insisted Magtubo.

November 24, 2015

Arrest of Cebu labor leader denounced

Press Release

October 31, 2014

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today condemned the arrest of the union leader at the Carmen Copper Corp. in Toledo City, Cebu, one of the biggest mines in Asia. Tony Cuizon, president of the Panaghiusa sa Mamumuo sa Carmen Copper (PAMCC-AGLO), was arrested last October 25, 2014 in Cavite on the strength of warrants for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Renato Magtubo, PM national chairperson, called for the release of Cuizon, a PM national council member, as the arrest warrants, criminal cases and police raids were in violation of existing guidelines in the conduct of police during labor disputes.

“Once again the Philippines rivals Colombia as the most dangerous place for unionists with numerous cases of labor leaders killed, injured or harassed. Cuizon’s arrest and incarceration illustrates the double standard of justice in our country. A politician gets the privilege of hospital arrest and a US soldier gets special treatment but a worker, even if ill and elderly, has to endure the bad conditions of a city jail,” Magtubo added.

Dennis Derige, PM-Cebu spokesperson, stated that on Cuizon’s first day at the Toledo jail, the latter had a high blood attack and was only brought to a clinic. “Cuizon is a senior citizen who suffers from severe hypertension, diabetes and arthritis, arguably work-related illnesses borne out of decades working in the copper mines of Toledo,” he insisted.

Derige averred that “The arrest of Ka Tony is part of Carmen Copper management’s continuing effort to bust the genuine union at the mine and leave the workers defenseless in the face of attempts to downgrade wages and benefits, and impose contractualization among mine workers. The police and the courts are being used as instruments of capitalists.”

PM insists that the warrants were flawed since they were the product of illegal raids conducted in March 2013 on the PAMCC office, and the houses of Cuizon and the union treasurer. The union avers that the firearms and a grenade allegedly found in the raid at the PAMCC office were planted by the police.

Derige explained that Cuizon’s arrest followed on the heels of the decertification of PAMCC as the sole and exclusive bargaining union at the mine, and the formation of a management-backed yellow union.

Carmen Copper has recently been hit by spate of labor disputes as mine workers resist corporate attacks on working conditions. Last February, PAMCC filed a notice of strike for management’s unfair labor practices and violation of the collective bargaining agreement. Also this year, workers contracted to haul and dispose of Carmen Copper’s mine wastes were derailed in forming a union because of the intervention of the huge manpower contractor Asiapro but the case remains pending at the Labor Department. Unions have condemned Asiapro as an illegal labor-only contractor. 

Advisory: Picket at biggest illegal “labor-only contractor”

Media Advisory

06 October 2014

Contact: Edsil Bacalso

09155386308              

REQUEST FOR COVERAGE

 In observance of “Global Day for Decent Work”

Picket at biggest illegal “labor-only contractor”

Tomorrow, 7 October 2014

10:00 AM

Assembly @ Kapitolyo gate, Pasig City

Then march to nearby Asiapro Building

The Nagkaisa labor coalition will hold a picket at Asiapro to demand a stop to the illegal operations of Asiapro which in the guise of a “workers cooperative” of some 34,000 members is in reality a labor-only contractor. A coordinated picket of Asiapro’s satellite office in downtown Cebu City will also be held tomorrow by Nagkaisa’s member groups. A labor dispute at the giant Carmen Copper mine in Toledo City, Cebu involving Asiapro remains pending to this day. The action tomorrow follows on the heels of an earlier picket that led to Asiapro’s filing of libel and public scandal cases against leaders of Nagkaisa. 

Labor groups slams TRO on union elections in Toledo mine

Photo from Cebu Daily News

Press Release

March 13, 2014

Association of Genuine Labor Organizations (AGLO)

Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)

The Association of Genuine Labor Organizations (AGLO) and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today slammed the temporary restraining order (TRO) slapped on the conduct of a union certification election at Galeo Equipment and Mining Company, a contractor at the Carmen Copper mine in Toledo City. At the height of the casting of votes by workers whether to join a union or not, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) halted the elections pursuant to a TRO imposed by the Court of Appeals.

Edmund Canete, the president of Galeo Workers Union (GWU-AGLO) asserted that “The TRO was a last minute maneuver by union-busting and union-evading capitalists to subvert our freedom to choose a union and improve our working conditions.”

A total of 285 Galeo workers had already voted by the time balloting was stopped around 5:35 pm yesterday. Galeo is a contractor within the huge Carmen Copper site that hauls mine waste from the open pit mining site. Another 275 Galeo workers were unable to cast ballots and were disenfranchised due to the TRO.

The election dispute arose from an attempt by the Asiapro manpower cooperative to prevent the unionization efforts at Galeo. Asiapro is claiming that the Galeo workers are their members and thus exempt from unionization. The DOLE however had ruled that there union elections can continue despite Asiapro’s opposition.

“Asiapro is the biggest supplier of contractual employees to many companies thus evading employer obligations to workers. In this case, Asiapro is serving as an instrument to sidestep workers’ right to self-organization and collective bargaining,” Canete claimed.

Toledo

Butch Pena, the national vice president AGLO condemned the TRO. “This TRO is a horrifying act by the second highest court of the land in curtailing workers constitutional right and freedom of association by declaring that Asiapro is an intervenor to the certification election case at Galeo.”

Renato Magtubo, PM national chairperson, argued that “Galeo and Asiapro’s connivance in evading unionism and use of legal maneuvers is not an unusual thing. This happens all the time. No wonder there are so few unions organized. Workers are not averse to unionism but capitalists do everything in their power to sabotage the freedom to organize.”

“We call on organized labor to unite in a campaign to defend the right to organize and job security. Asiapro must be exposed as a capitalist tool to defraud workers of their rights and benefits. Ang laban ng Galeo union ay laban ng lahat,” Magtubo insisted.

Carmen Copper mine union statement on settlement of labor dispute

PAMCC press con announcing planned strike

Press Statement

February 27, 2014

PAMCC-AGLO-PM

Today we announce that the looming strike at the country’s biggest mine has been averted with the union gaining significant concessions in its demands, especially a major advance in the fight against contractualization.

We have withdrawn the Notice of Strike (NOS) we have filed before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) as the union has reached an agreement with Carmen Copper Corp. (CCC) management yesterday afternoon during a conciliation conference at the NCMB.

We welcome management’s willingness to meet union demands in order to avoid a costly strike. The reasonableness of our demands combined with the support of the entire union membership made this settlement with the management possible.

This settlement is a victory for the union in general and specifically it is a step forward in protecting job security at the mine.

Out of four main issues we raised as basis for the NOS, only one outstanding issue was left:

1. Management commits to regularize 250 casual employees by March 8, 2014. For its smooth implementation, an oversight committee will be set up composed of union and management representatives;

2. Both the management and union agree to respect due process concerning the alleged infractions of 33 employees. On the complaint of double standard in the implementation of company rules ad regulations, management commits to be transparent with the union on all the administrative hearings and furnish copies of pertinent documents relevant to the relevant cases;

3. Management commits to act on the complaint of union Interference and unfair labor practice. Union will give the management free hand on the investigation and subsequent findings as a result of the said investigation.

The outstanding issue left is complaints regarding violations of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The union and management have agreed to put the issue on preventive mediation. The NCMB has set a preventive mediation hearing on March 13, 2014 to start the ball rolling on the resolution of the remaining issue.

The union remains vigilant in the implementation of the settlement agreement. We remain committed to industrial peace on the basis of respect for workers rights and welfare, especially compliance with the existing CBA between the union and the company.

CARMEN COPPER UNION STATEMENT ON IMPENDING STRIKE

Press Statement

February 13, 2014

The Carmen Copper Corporation (CCC) management is creating a scenario similar to the 1980’s. An all-out attack against workers and repression of the labor union are in progress right now. But just as in the 1980’s, the old union called PAMA survived and won, we will again prove to the management that they have picked the wrong fight. We, the entire 3,000-strong membership of PAMCC, will stand our ground and we will prevail. It is because history is on our side.

It is our time to counter and fight back with all the means available to us. We will strike where it will hurt the most. Today we filed a Notice of Strike (NOS) before the NCMB on the grounds of CBA violations and unfair labor practices. We will respect the cooling off period but after that we will hold a strike! This will be a winner take all battle, its either us who will surrender or them. This is our demand. We’ve been here before and we’ve done this before. PAMA then is the PAMCC now.

During the rehabilitation stage of our Company, we fully cooperated in order for recovery to proceed. Indeed, from 2007 to 2012 not a single labor dispute took place. A harmonious relationship between labor and management existed at that time. Even though the salary was meager compared to the industry standard, we endured the sacrifice n the spirit of rehabilitation. In short, we let ourselves be used by the management in order for the company to take off.

CCC did take off after 5 years, earning P800 million pesos per shipment. The company was able to attract new investments like the Henry Sy group. CCC kept on expanding its operations with the workforce growing continuously.

But the management wants more from us. To further boost profit, the management must get rid of the genuine workers union – the PAMCC. At the final stage of rehabilitation, the management organized, supported and funded a company union – the CCWLO. It became clear that the last phase of rehabilitation meant busting the genuine union! But the management did not succeed because their own creation exploded in front of their face. CCWLO registration was cancelled and delisted from the roster of legitimate labor organizations.

The Management wants more from us. Little by little they are taking back the welfare and benefits enjoyed by the workers under our collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Medicine allowances are limited to only P6,000 per year. The next of kin provision on hiring of new employees is not being followed and instead workers not related to any of the union members are hired. Wage discrimination is rampant. Issuance of company uniforms are overdue. The Mining Act of 1995 is blatantly violated, specifically on priority hiring of residents of barangays affected by mining. Finally a double standard exists on the implementation of company rules specifically on AWOL cases.

The management wants more from us. Little by little they are contracting out jobs in the mine site that are necessary and desirable to the business of CCC while casual employees remain even beyond the six months of continued service in the company.

PAMCC will not take this sitting down. We will resist and fight back. There is no choice left to us but to end the 5 years of “harmonious relationship” between PAMCC and CCC. So far, We have been able to defend our ranks from the attacks of management but they are becoming more hard-headed and unreasonable.

Last year, management used the PNP to harass our leaders by conducting two illegal raids in the house and office of our union president and union treasurer. The raiding team planted explosives and ammunitions as manufactured evidence for the filing of criminal cases against our two union leaders. But the objective of their harassment was a complete failure. Our two leaders further deepened their resolve to fight for our union and workers. We raised the issue before the ILO, government agencies and human rights groups.

Two weeks ago, management used the DOJ thru the hoodlums in robe in the Toledo RTC to issue a warrant of arrest against our two leaders. This judge violated all protocols and process on issuing the warrants. Again, this will not succeed because all the charges are fabricated and therefore will be dismissed in due time.

We will be demonized by the management through its paid hacks in the media. That is why we are doing this media conference so that the public would understand us, the issues involved and why did we arrived at this decision.

PANAGHIUSA SA MAMUMUO SA CARMEN COPPER – ASSOCIATION OF GENUINE LABOR ORGANIZATIONS – PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA (PAMCC-AGLO-PM)

MEMBER: NAGKAISA