VARIOUS employees’ unions representing the 18,000 workforce of transport giant Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) have appealed to the management to end the squabble among the Yanson siblings over the company’s leadership.
Union leaders also warned to hold a strike or work stoppage as a worst case scenario if the employees will be affected by the issues hounding the management of the biggest bus company in the Philippines.
There is an ongoing squabble between the two factions of the Yanson’s six children including the family’s matriarch Olivia Villaflores-Yanson.
National president of the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union - Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (Paciwu-TUCP) Hernane Braza, in a press conference at Delicioso Restaurant in Bacolod City yesterday, said
they are hoping that through the workers’ appeal, and of Villaflores-Yanson, the conflict will be resolved immediately.
Braza said President Rodrigo Duterte have met with the Yanson’s siblings namely Roy, Emily, Celina, Ginnette, Ricardo and Leo Rey five times in an attempt to end the squabble.
“Even the President, who called for a meeting with the siblings at the Malacañang, attempted to settle their differences but it failed,” he added.
On July 7, Roy took over the company’s leadership from their youngest brother Leo Rey.
For the unions, however, it was invalid.
While they do not want to take side on the issue, Braza said they stood on the appointment of Leo Rey as the company’s president which was done by the company’s founder and patriarch, the late Ricardo, and Villaflores-Yanson.
“Our hope also is for Mrs. Yanson (Olivia) to resolve the squabble,” he further said.
Jose Ares, founder and administrator of Mindanao Alliance of Land Transport and General Workers’ Union, said they are calling on the management to resolve the issue among themselves amenably.
If not, Ares said the unions have no other recourse but to hold a strike.
“We are appealing to the family, to the children of the Yanson couple, to rise above their own interest or whatever interest,” he said.
Ares added “they should look into the interest for the survival of the company and for the employees and workers and their families who are dependent on the company.”
The workers group also plan to personally go to the Board and plea for the crisis to be resolved before things will become worst.
“We look at this more of a moral issue. It’s very unthinkable for me for a mother suing her children and children are trying to disrespect their parents,” Ares said.
Braza further said they want to avoid holding a strike as they cannot afford to lose their respective jobs.
Also, they cannot afford to be blamed by students and the general commuters who will be affected in case of strike, he added.
VTI has 4,000 buses operating nationwide.