Thursday, November 29, 2007 Workers to hold rally to mark Bonifacio Day
UNION leaders and various labor organizations under the umbrella of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) are set to hold a nationwide protest on November 30 in commemoration of Bonifacio Day and Trade Union Day.
"Sama ni Andres Bonifacio, padayun mi sa pakigbisog alang sa mga mamumuo. Karung 30, ipagawas namo ang tanang mga isyu ug kaligotgot sa gobyerno nga walay natabang sa mga mamumuo," KMU-SMR (Southern Mindanao region) chair Romualdo Basilio said in a press conference at Kakoy's Grill Wednesday.
Labor leaders from Compostela Valley lamented their situation in their respective companies.
On August 12, 2006, Fresh Bananas Agricultural Company in Osmeña, Compostela Valley terminated 196 regular workers and decided to transfer its packing operations to three neighboring packing plants.
The workers, who are members of the union, Nakahiusang Mamumuo sa Osmiguel (Namaos), went on a strike and were reinstated by the company six months later.
"Nakabalik na mi ug trabaho pero karun naa papud sila'y plano nga mag-close by January or February kay gusto nila pakyawan system nalang ug contractual ang trabaho. Ga-negotiate pa mi sa CBA pero lisud kay gina-harass nila ang mga leader ug myembro sa unyon," Namaos President Danny Jacinto said. (We were reinstated but the company is planning to close by January or February. We are negotiating our CBA with the company but they are harassing union leaders and members.)
According to Basilio, unfair labor practices are rampant not only in Southern Mindanao Region but nationwide. He said it has become a common practice of companies.
KMU also hit the recent Lapanday closure saying it is a move of the company to keep its land.
"Naa man gud nag-apply for Carp ana nga property. I-convert nila ug industrial ug residential area arun nga dili ma-award sa applicants ang yuta," Basilio said. (Someone has applied for Carp coverage of the land so the company wants it converted to industrial or residential so it could not be awarded.)
The closure will terminate more than a hundred workers two weeks before Christmas.
The group's protest on the 3Oth will begin with a flower offering at the Bonifacio Circle in Magallanes Street. The group will march from there to the Freedom Park where the daylong activity will culminate in a short program. (GLP)
