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Monday, September 06, 2004
Crew releases fishing boats, goes back to work
By Bong S. Sarmiento
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Filipino crewmembers who took control of their fishing vessels in Papua New Guinea to press for reforms have returned to work, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced over the weekend.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said the labor dispute between the workers and management of RD Tuna Ventures, Inc. (RDTVI) was already settled, with the Filipino workers now performing their assigned tasks and the employer agreeing to address their grievances.
The Filipino crewmembers seized control of at least 15 fishing vessels of TD Tuna last month, prompting officials to say they would file complaints against the striking employees as the company has lost at least $100,000 as a result of the takeover.
The crewmembers seized the fishing vessels to demand that they be given remuneration and benefits similar to international seafarers.
The family of fishing magnate Rodrigo Rivera Sr. owns RDTVI, which is based in this southern port city.
The company operates a canning factory in Papua New Guinea.
Romulo said that company officials would no longer pursue complaints against the striking workers. The two contending parties reached an agreement following a dialogue brokered by DFA officials.
Among the main points agreed by the management and the striking workers were for RD Tuna to look into the salaries and compensation package of the crew for possible increase, for the fishing vessels to have adequate supply of medicine, potable water and food, and for the fishermen to be allowed to go on shore leave after seven months of continuous duty.
Romulo said that Philippine Ambassador to Port Moresby Bienvenido Tejano on September 2 brought RD Tuna officials aboard the largest vessel seized by the workers led by boat captain Angelito Abastas.
The fishermen were manning the 15 Philippine-flagged fishing vessels owned by RD Tuna.
"With the peaceful and mutually acceptable settlement of the dispute between the striking fishermen and RD Tuna Management, it was also agreed that no charges would be filed by any party against one another," Romulo said.
In the course of the negotiations, Romulo said the fishermen were made to understand that being employed aboard Philippine-registered fishing vessels, the resolution of their grievances would be governed by the Philippine labor code.
After the negotiations, the official said that a great majority of the fishermen agreed to return to work, though some wish to be repatriated.
RD Tuna expressed willingness to pay for the airfare home of the repatriates, according to Tejano.
Last August 29, Tejano reported to the DFA that over 150 Filipino fishermen cut the moorings of 10 Philippine-registered fishing vessels of RD Tuna and brought these vessels to the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, as a means of conveying their employment-related grievances.
But after looking closely into the labor dispute, Tejano later reported that the actual number of strikers was closer to 200 and that they took control of 15 fishing vessels owned by RD Tuna.
He also reported that undetermined number of smaller "back up" boats surrounded the 15 vessels under the control of the strikers.
On 31 August, Papua New Guinea law enforcement, customs and immigration authorities attempted to resolve the seizure of the fishing vessels by the Filipino fishermen but Tejano prevailed upon them not to use force.
(September 6, 2004 issue)
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