Nissan workers comply with SC decision

Dressed in their uniforms, more than 100 Nissan workers lined in front of the company gates, around 6:30 AM yesterday, November 27, in Sitio Aratan, Barangay Pulong Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Laguna. The workers demanded that they be allowed to report back for work in accordance with the Supreme Court’s final decision.

Company guards, however, barred the workers from entry despite the latter’s insistence and what they claimed a sincere move to implement the Supreme Court’s decision on the labor dispute in Nissan. A heavy traffic followed suit.

The Supreme Court released its clarifications on its latest decision on October 31, 2006. The decision orders the reinstatement of more than 144 regular Nissan workers, while terminating 16 union officers. The SC affirmed previous decisions of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Court of Appeals (CA).

“The workers received six (6) similar and favourable decisions from DoLE, CA and SC ordering Nissan management to reinstate the illegally terminated workers. Still, up to now, Nissan refuses to follow the decisions of the courts,” said Eduardo Alisa, union president and one of the terminated officers of Bagong Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Manggagawa sa Nissan Motors Philippines, Inc. (BANAL-NMPI-OLALIA-KMU).

After being stuck in traffic, Nissan’s Vice-President for Administration and Corporate Planning Val de Leon dealt with the workers at around 8:00 AM. The union officers negotiated and insisted on Nissan’s compliance with the Supreme Court’s decision.

Alisa added, “He (de Leon) has no reason to restrain the workers from going back to the company. The Supreme Court’s decision is self-executory, that is why the workers are here and ready to report back to work.”

Meanwhile, the militant Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) expressed support to the Nissan workers. According to Luz Baculo, PAMANTIK secretary-general, “The whole working class is honored for the Nissan workers’ firm stand to carry on the struggle until the last Supreme Court decision. If unity binds the Nissan workers to fight for their legitimate rights, it is also in unity that will make the Supreme Court decision a certainty.”

The workers consider the Supreme Court decision a significant turning point to end the five-year strike. The workers staged their strike on October 1, 2001 on the grounds that Nissan management illegally terminated more than 144 regular workers and 16 union officers while a collective bargaining negotiation was in progress.