The demolition team from the Iloilo City Engineer's Office did not arrive Monday after the Nov. 26, 2006 deadline they set.
Theodore Niel Lasola, president of university union clarified Monday that their stay at the picketline has nothing to do with the illegal strike in 2003 that is now final before the Supreme Court, but rather it's got to do with a labor case for illegal dismissal.
Lasola added that they staged a protest for 584 days now after the university management terminated them from service as an offshoot of the strike last 2003.
They started to occupy the sidewalk and main entrance of USA since 2005 after Fr. Manuel Vergara, school administrator, sacked at least 17 of the union's officers.
He added that last Sunday, they were able to furnish Mayor Jerry Treñas with a copy of their complaint before the National Labor Relations Commission on the alleged illegal dismissal.
Their justification came after Iloilo City Legal Officer Edgar Gil and the City Engineers Office under Engineer Marito Amatorio, issued an ultimatum for the striking employees to vacate and clear the sidewalk.
"It is only the NLRC and the court that could order us to stop with our protest," Lasola said.
While the 2003 strike issue was long resolved by the SC last March 2006 in favor of the USA management, the illegal dismissal issue still remains at the NLRC, promoting the union members to stay at the picketline.
