Press Release
May 8, 2009
The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today lambasted the management of Keppel Phils. for implementing a two-day workweek in order to force its workers to agree to its redundancy offer. A labor dispute has been festering in the Keppel shipyard since March with workers alleging management is out to bust the union Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Baradero (NMB) Keppel Shipyard-National Federation of Labor (NFL).
“In the one month since an agreement was forged last April 8 between management and the union, Keppel has consistently tried to sabotage the settlement by blackmailing the workers into submitting to the redundancy plan by shortening the workweek. At the height of the dispute in March, Keppel workers were working just three days in a week. Now it is just two days in a week thus workers’ take home pay has been reduced to a third,” explained Dennis Derige, spokesperson of PM in Cebu.
PM is arguing that Keppel’s reduction in workdays is tantamount to a violation of the April 8 agreement. Section 3 of the agreement stipulates that neither side will engage in actions that will exacerbate the situation.
Derige answered management’s alibi that theirs is no work to be done. “The ship repair business was strong but they shifted to ship building thus forcing former clients to smaller shipyards in Cebu. Why then did they go into ship building when there is no marker for it? It only makes business sense because management wants to bust the union and replace regular workers with cheap and docile contractual labor,” he insisted.
Derige added that “Keppel is trying to starve the workers so they will agree to surrender their rights. We warn management that their blackmail will not work. Keppel workers are not alone. The labor movement will support Keppel workers in their fight.”
PM also criticized the DOLE for lying about the real status of the labor situation. “For several weeks the DOLE has kept on repeating the marketing line that companies are rehiring and layoffs are ebbing. But the unresolved dispute at Keppel and other struggles at MEPZ belie the DOLE’s propaganda,” Derige stated.
The Keppel union still has a pending notice of strike that it has not withdrawn. Since a majority of the work force has voted for the strike, the union can go on strike at any moment.
Showing posts with label ship workers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ship workers. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Keppel Cebu union files notice of strike as management pushes with layoffs
Press Release
March 16, 2009
The labor union of Keppel Cebu filed a notice of strike this afternoon as management announced this morning that it will push through with a redundancy program. The redundancy will mean the loss of 70% of 280 regular jobs. The Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Baradero (NMB) Keppel Shipyard-National Federation of Labor (NFL) charged management with union busting.
Roger Igot, president of NMB-NFL, “Workers will again not leave the shipyard premises and sacrifice time with our families in order to protest the illegal termination. Keppel management is using the crisis as an excuse to replace regular jobs with cheap and docile contractual labor.” Last week union members started protest actions by remaining within the shipyard compound despite the end of their shift.
Management assembled its work force this morning and despite opposition from the workers, announced the implementation of the redundancy program. Keppel management earlier tried to downsize its work force by offering a voluntary resignation package which the union also rejected. The redundancy is in line with Keppel Cebu’s decision to shift from ship repair to ship building. The union however argues that ship building entails even more workers in spite of the introduction of machinery.
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and its allied unions anounced that they will support the strike of Keppel workers. “If the Keppel labor dispute matures into a strike, it will be the third strike in just two months following on the heels of the Giardini del Sole workers. A strike wave is taking shape and the labor unrest is being fanned by the capitalists’ penchant for shifting the burden of the crisis on the workers,” argued Dennis Derige, spokesperson of PM.
He added that “Management pays a regular Keppel worker much higher wages and benefits compared to a contractual laborer who makes do with below minimum wages and no benefits.”
“Contractualization on the shipyards will mean work accidents like what is happening in Hanjin at Subic. Contractualization is not just a plague on the workers but a hazard to marine safety and the riding public. We ask the Marina to explore this angle in the hearing on Keppel’s turn to shipbuilding,” Igot explained. ###
March 16, 2009
The labor union of Keppel Cebu filed a notice of strike this afternoon as management announced this morning that it will push through with a redundancy program. The redundancy will mean the loss of 70% of 280 regular jobs. The Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Baradero (NMB) Keppel Shipyard-National Federation of Labor (NFL) charged management with union busting.
Roger Igot, president of NMB-NFL, “Workers will again not leave the shipyard premises and sacrifice time with our families in order to protest the illegal termination. Keppel management is using the crisis as an excuse to replace regular jobs with cheap and docile contractual labor.” Last week union members started protest actions by remaining within the shipyard compound despite the end of their shift.
Management assembled its work force this morning and despite opposition from the workers, announced the implementation of the redundancy program. Keppel management earlier tried to downsize its work force by offering a voluntary resignation package which the union also rejected. The redundancy is in line with Keppel Cebu’s decision to shift from ship repair to ship building. The union however argues that ship building entails even more workers in spite of the introduction of machinery.
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and its allied unions anounced that they will support the strike of Keppel workers. “If the Keppel labor dispute matures into a strike, it will be the third strike in just two months following on the heels of the Giardini del Sole workers. A strike wave is taking shape and the labor unrest is being fanned by the capitalists’ penchant for shifting the burden of the crisis on the workers,” argued Dennis Derige, spokesperson of PM.
He added that “Management pays a regular Keppel worker much higher wages and benefits compared to a contractual laborer who makes do with below minimum wages and no benefits.”
“Contractualization on the shipyards will mean work accidents like what is happening in Hanjin at Subic. Contractualization is not just a plague on the workers but a hazard to marine safety and the riding public. We ask the Marina to explore this angle in the hearing on Keppel’s turn to shipbuilding,” Igot explained. ###
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