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Friday, April 08, 2005
University president 'trying to kill us': union leader
By Jay Dooma Balnig
NEIL Theodore Lasola, president of the University of San Agustin-Employees Union-Federation of Free Workers (USAEU-FFW), is accusing university president, Fr. Manuel Vergara, of trying to kill the union officers by terminating their services.
"He terminated us. May pamilya ining ang ginpahalin niya nga palakan-on. Gusto niya nga patyon ang mga pamilya sini nga dependent sa tagsa ka empleyado (Those he ordered dismissed have mouths to feed. He is trying to kill the families of these employees)," Lasola said during a press conference Thursday.
The termination order, effective April 5 (not March 5 as reported Thursday), came after the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the school administration in their labor dispute.
Lasola said Vergara issued the termination order even if their motion for reconsideration is still pending before the Court of Appeals.
The union held an emergency meeting at The Residence Hotel Friday, manifesto. In their manifesto of contempt, the union raised several issues, "Why has Fr. Vergara implemented the CA decision on the strike issue but not on the economic issue pertaining to increase in benefits as decided in favor of the union?" and "Why the management implemented a decision to terminate the officers when it is faced with a coming Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations?"
"This is a clear act of union busting. The life of the union is now threatened," they added.
The manifesto further stated, "All your officers depended their living on their employment at the University. Their families are affected. Terminating the union officers is an act that a university, run by a religious, decided to do. The act is Janus-faced.
Proclaiming to abide by the Gospels of social justice, truth, observance of laws and compassion but at the same time it tramples the dignity and honor of labor, murders unionism and gloats over the suffering of the families of their union officers. Pope John Paul II offered his life in pursuit of protection of families and their union officers."
(April 8, 2005 issue)
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