Nissan persistently defies SC decision, workers stage protest

“Nissan management persistently defies the Supreme Court decision.”

This is the statement declared by more than 140 workers of Nissan Motors Phils., Incorporated while still in wait for the implementation of the Supreme Court decision. The workers made the statement while staging a picket protest in front of the company gates yesterday, January 10, 2007, around 6:30 AM in Barangay Pulong Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Nissan Vice-President for Corporate Planning Val de Leon appeared before and negotiated with the protesting workers.

”Val de Leon is still in the management’s hard position to settle only the separation pay of 25 workers,” according to Eduardo Alisa, union president of Bagong Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Manggagawa sa Nissan Motors Phils., Inc. (BANAL-OLALIA-KMU) after the negotiations.

The workers insisted that 144 should be reinstated back to work as per Supreme Court decision promulgated on June 21, 2006.

Alisa added, ”We made it clear to de Leon and Nissan management that the Supreme Court orders the reinstatement and the payment of accrued backwages of 144 workers, not separation pay for 25. That is ridiculously far from the written Supreme Court decision.”

De Leon and the union representatives concluded the brief negotiations by scheduling another round of talks on January 22, 2007 at 3PM to further discuss the SC decision and come up with clear commitments for its immediate implementation.

PNP and RSAF “kept watch” of the protest

The workers’ protest lasted for an hour. Motorists experienced heavy traffic along roads bound for Nissan Motors and Laguna Technopark Incorporated. Mild tension ensued when combined elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) of Santa Rosa and Regional Special Action Forces (RSAF) in full battle gear arrived and attempted to disperse the workers.

“The police and military are always used to confront and disperse us whenever we exercise our legitimate rights and in our demand to implement the Supreme Court decision,” according to Rodel Diolata, union vice-president.

“We workers are holding a peaceful protest. Our demand is just and we are not violating any law. If there is somebody who needs to be arrested and apprehended for not respecting the law, that should be Nissan management which remains disrespectful of the Supreme Court decision and withholds justice for the workers,” concluded Diolata.