Thursday, July 17, 2008 Sulpicio fires 136 from 8 vessels
SULPICIO Lines Inc. yesterday laid off 136 regular officers and crew members of at least eight passenger vessels.
The company said they were letting go of the workers because of heavy losses caused by the suspension of its operation by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).
Manuel Espina, Sulpicio Lines lawyer, said management was forced to terminate the services of the officers and crew members because the company is losing millions of pesos daily since Marina suspended its operation last month.
Espina said the 136 officers and crew members were given their notice of termination yesterday. The vessels they are serving are still not sailing.
He said the dismissed workers are sad because they lost their jobs at a time when prices of commodities are rapidly rising.
Espina said the company did not have an option because the vessels were still not operating and paying workers salaries will deplete the firm’s resources.
He said there is no legal obstacle in laying off the officers and crew because this was reported to the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
As regular employees, Espina said the affected officers and crew were listed with Dole and the Social Security System (SSS).
“I think its for the government and Marina to consider lifting the order for the suspension of operation of Sulpicio Lines because it has already affected the workers,” he said.
Joy Lim, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson, said they were informed Sulpicio Lines will lay off 600 workers if Marina will not allow the vessels to sail again.
Lim said the 136 workers laid off yesterday were just the initial batch. She said there will be more termination if the suspension on the company’s vessels will not be lifted.
Last June 25, ALU-TUCP National Chairman Democrito Mendoza wrote Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and requested him to intervene, saying closing the company is not the solution to the problem.
Mendoza said he feared 2,000 officers and crew members will lose their jobs.
Mendoza said that while they join the country in mourning the death of hundreds of passengers and crew of mv Princes of the Stars, they are also concerned about the fate of those working for Sulpicio Lines.
“Plunging 2,000 families to poverty and economic insecurity is the last thing we need at this time,” Mendoza said in his letter to Mendoza.
Mendoza has not replied to that letter.
On the other hand, Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. reiterated his statement during a press conference last July 12 that the Marina Board has the final decision in lifting the suspension.
Suazo said he already submitted to the Marina Board a partial report of the audit conducted by a Manila team that he created shortly after the sinking of Princess of the Stars.
Suazo did not divulge contents of the report although Marina insiders said only minor defects were found in Sulpicio vessels that were audited.
Sources said that Suazo may be held liable for suspending the operation of Sulpicio Lines because under the rules governing Ship Safety Inspection System, minor defects are not grounds to suspend the operation of a vessel. (EOB)
