AMID the Yanson family feud, organized workers of Vallacar Transit Inc. and other companies belonging to the Yanson Group have filed a notice of strike, although they have yet to set a date for their mass action.
Philippine Agriculture, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union (Paciwu) national president Hernane Braza also clarified that their plan is only for partial disruption of operations so as not to inconvenience the riding public.
"We will have skeletal force to hold a strike all over Visayas where the Ceres buses operate," Braza said.
Braza said they were waiting for 23 days from the filing of their notice of strike before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
He said their planned strike is intended for the management, regardless of who they are, either Leo Rey or Roy Yanson. Leo Rey was ousted as president of the company by his siblings Roy, Emily, Celina and Ricardo Jr.
The union announced their plan to strike after some of its members were detained after the foiled attempt of the new management led by the four Yanson siblings to take over the Ceres North Terminal.
Roy Yanson, who now sits as president, reiterated his appeal to the employees to unite and work together.
"As president of Vallacar, I ask our fellow employees to work together to support the present leadership. We must resist efforts at breaking up the company which we so loved for the past 50 years. This is our company and our family which we have lent most of our time and efforts. Those who love this company must unite with us in resisting and fighting these forces who do not have the general welfare of employees and the public we serve at heart," he said.
Roy clarified that he and his siblings petitioned the court for a 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop Leo Rey, who continues to sit as member of the board, from "committing acts prejudicial to the interests of the company." The court has denied the petition.
Roy said that although their petition was junked, they were able to present their evidence in court.
"We complied and presented a bus conductor who showed the court a video he took on Sunday, July 14, 2019, using his cellphone covering the insistence of Vallacar employees to continue working, not to disrupt company operations, and defy instructions of the labor union to pretend that they are protesting the change in management and will go on strike if so. The denial of the 72-hour TRO did not mean that Leo Rey Yanson can do what he wants. By participating in our TRO application, Leo Rey agreed to subject himself to the sole authority of the court to resolve the issues between him and us," he said.
He also said that order simply expressed the court's preference to hear more about why they, the majority members of the board, want to ensure that Leo Rey and his supporters are restrained from committing acts that do nothing but harm the company.
"The order also does not resolve the issues raised by Leo Rey but recognizes his right to present contrary evidence to repel our claims should he have any. The present management remains the lawful and sole authority to manage the 5 companies under the Yanson Group of Bus Companies, including Vallacar Transit Inc.," Roy said.
The continuation of the hearing on the petition for injunction is set on July 26, "at which time we will continue presenting evidence to demonstrate acts of Leo Rey that defy the court's sole power to resolve the issues he himself had brought to it to address," Roy added.
Meanwhile, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will tap the local government units for help if the planned strike of employees of Vallacar Transit operator of Ceres Liner pushes through.
Lacson said Wednesday, July 24, that while he hoped that the strike will not materialize considering the impact of a work stoppage on the province's economy, "the province will find ways and will need the cooperation of the LGUs. The province cannot do this alone."
"Negrenses have great dependence on the Ceres buses," he said.
Lacson said he is "still hoping that transportation will not be paralyzed because it will be the riding public that will be affected." He added that right now, operations of the buses are "still normal."
"I hope that those planning any strike will study it more," Lacson said.
Asked if he will mediate between the "warring" Yanson clan to avert a strike by its workers, Lacson said: "I can't do it."
"It will be really among themselves who can settle this. There are already cases filed in court so we will wait for the action of the courts on these cases," he said.
"As a governor, I am in a position to influence the squabble of the family," Lacson said.