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Saturday, September 08, 2007
PLDT employees hit union busting
By Grace L. Plata
DAVAO CITY -- Employees of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) howled in protest over the impending lay-off of 575 workers nationwide starting September 16.
They also accused PLDT management of trying to weaken their union by forcing the transfer of key union officials.
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Iron Ramirez, Mindanao sector head of the PLDT Workers Union or the Manggagawa ng Komunikasyon sa Pilipinas (MKP), said in a press conference Friday that PLDT has issued termination slips to a number of employees despite the fact that the firm had a net profit of P17.5 billion for the first half of 2007, which means it has capacity to pay employees who are now subject to termination.
According to Ramirez, this violates the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between MKP and PLDT that seeks to protect union members.
In 2002, a massive lay-off of more than 500 workers was pronounced illegal by the Supreme Court, which ordered PLDT to reinstate the retrenched workers.
"But the PLDT management with its clear maneuver to weaken the union has not accepted the workers, which they claimed as redundant," Ramirez said.
The union officer also said that the reasons for the new round of retrenchment were the same ones PLDT cited in 2002 -- collapsing departments and technological re-tolling.
"Adding insult to injury, the redundant positions they stated in 2002 are now occupied by PLDT subsidiaries that employ contractuals, a clear policy of contractualization," lamented Ramirez.
Clearly, the positions were not redundant since these were not removed and were instead replaced by workers who are not protected by the union, he added.
In Mindanao, he said there are 29 rank and file employees who are facing termination. Ramirez said this does not include those who are being relocated without notice again in an apparent move to weaken the union.
Escobar "Totong" Pinzon, sector team 2 head of MKP in Mindanao, said as a union member, he has been subject to harassment from the company.
"I was assigned in Koronadal City then was transferred to General Santos. After that, I was assigned in Butuan," Pinzon said.
Pinzon added that all these reassignments were done without the required process and paperwork stated in the CBA.
"Nasa CBA kasi na (It is stated in the CBA) when you're transferred, it should undergo consultation process. The relocation area should be the site that is closest to where your family is." Pinzon said.
Pinzon said he believes this was done to him because of his role as a union officer.
"Pinaghihiwalay nila kami para maging weak ang union (They are trying to separate us to weaken the union)," Pinzon said.
He added that he already filed charges of unfair labor practice against PLDT at the National Labor Regulation Commission (NLRC) but the case is still pending.
On the other hand, he said that while a large number of employees are facing retrenchment, managers straight up to the highest positions received bonuses totaling 26 million last year.
Both union officers said they will continue to resist until the matter is dealt with accordingly.
"MKP will not be cowed by such maneuvering of the PLDT management. Instead, this occasion will further enlighten our ranks that the only option left among us is either to resist or perish," Ramirez said. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (September 8, 2007 issue)
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