THE Makabayan bloc on Monday, July 16, filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to investigate the alleged illegal labor practices committed by Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) and its service contractors.
In the resolution, members of the Makabayan bloc said there is a need for the House of Representatives to revisit the labor code provision and the issuances on contractualization and labor-only contracting.
This, after they have received reports that Jollibee has failed to regularize its employees amid a Department of Labor and Employment order to regularize less than 7,000 Jollibee workers.
The group also said that the employees complain against the alleged illegal exactions deducted from their wages by the said food chain.
"Its workers complain that Jollibee has no regard for their security of tenure. They are contracted out from service contractors even though their tasks and responsibilities are integral to the company's business operation," the resolution states.
"The employees also complain that the JFC has burdened them with various exactions which were deducted from their wages for company-initiated self-help schemes like Kaagapay, Christmas Party Paluwagan, Employee Savings fund, Tulong Pangkabuhayan...," the resolution added.
The resolution states that the company also has a loan program for its financially distressed employees, the payment of which is deducted from the employees' wages.
According to the Makabayan bloc these deductions leave workers with a meager take home pay.
According to the coalition, a Department of Labor and Employment assessment report in July found that Jollibee violated the security of tenure of its employees by contracting out to service contractors its personal requirements for tasks and responsibilities that are vital and directly related to its business operation.
The DOLE also said that the exactions on the employees' wages were unauthorized and in violation of the Labor Code provision and other issuances protecting the integrity of the employees wages.
Through these findings, DOLE has ordered Jollibee and its service contractors to refund their exactions on employees wages amounting to P15.4 million for Jollibee, and for its service contractors P4.1 million.
The DOLE also ordered Jollibee to regularize a total of 6,482 workers under service contractors: Generation One and Staff Search Asia.
Jollibee has not regularized the 6,482 workers to date, said the lawmakers.
The Makabayan bloc also lamented that only 2 out of the 9 service contractors were found by the DOLE and were included in its order. (SunStar Philippines)