MORE than 90 janitors at Cebu City Hall sought help from the City Council to claim their salaries for January to June 2018.
The workers alleged that their agency failed to comply with City Hall’s documentary requirements, resulting in non-payment.
City Councilor Nestor Archival presented a letter from Nelsy Furog, who represents the janitors, during the regular session on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024.
The letter dated July 31, 2024, states that the workers have not received their wages for six months in 2018 due to their agency’s failure to provide necessary documents to the Department of General Services.
To solve the problem, Archival told SunStar Cebu that an executive session has been scheduled for Sept. 11.
The session will include representatives from the City Accounting Office, City Budget Office, City Treasurer’s Office, Department of General Services, Bunom Manpower Services (the agency employing the janitors), and the affected workers.
City Councilor James Anthony Cuenco has requested the presence of the City Legal Office at the executive session.
Archival said the problem’s root cause will be determined during the executive session.
“It’s possible that the management hasn’t provided the documents because the City Government hasn’t given them yet. We really don’t know what the truth is,” said Archival in Cebuano.
The councilor said this is the first time the janitors have raised their complaints, suggesting they may have been repeatedly promised payment. He estimated that the unpaid wages could amount to around P60,000 per worker, based on a hypothetical monthly salary of P10,000.
As of now, Bunom Manpower Services continues to provide janitorial services to City Hall offices. The executive session aims to clarify the situation and seek a resolution for the affected workers. (JPS)