Monday, September 10, 2007 PLDT workers threaten strike
THE workers’ union of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) will stage a strike against the telecommunications giant if it pushes through with the mass firing of 575 personnel effective. Sept. 15.
Manggagawa ng Teleko-munikasyon ng Pilipinas Visayas sector head Isabelo Rosales said they sought the intervention of Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal after the Department of Labor and Employment failed to settle the problem during three hearings.
Paralyze
Rosales said that if the strike pushes through, it will paralyze the telephone exchange at Osmeña Blvd., Natalio Bacalso Ave., Mabolo and Mandaue City and will affect services in the entire province.
“Of course, that is only our last recourse. If PLDT will issue an order that the mass termination will not push through, that may prevent the strike,” Rosales said.
Rosales went to the Archbishop’s Palace Friday to submit their letter to Cardinal Vidal appealing for his support.
He was accompanied by fellow union officers.
The company gave redundancy as the reason for their dismissal.
Breadwinners
According to the letter to Vidal, those facing termination have been working with the company for the past 15 to 20 years.
Most are breadwinners for their families and have children of school age. Some are even single parents.
“They have served the company well in most of their productive life, and they deserve no less than compassion, if not gratitude from the company they helped prosper in the past decades,” the letter reads further. (EOB)
