Workers stage picket series vs. recent wave of mass lay-offs; Protesting for legitimate rights is sure ticket to terminatn - KMU

“To protest is to be fired. Be at the mercy of the capitalist, accept all injustices.

“This is gradually becoming the rule nowadays, as workers who demand for their legitimate rights, in a legitimate way, become automatic victims of termination,” said Roger Soluta, Kilusang Mayo Uno Deputy Secretary General.

KMU led a pikcet series today in response to the latest assaults of massive illegal terminations in several companies.

Kowloon West

The workers stormed the Kowloon West office at West Avenue, Quezon City to demand for the retraction of the termination of its 73 workers on the basis of illegal strike. The Kowloon employees only held a protest action last June, at their off duty-hours and obstructing no business operations, because the management has not implemented the last two Wage Increase Orders from NCR.

The management then filed against the workers a case of illegal strike at the DOLE and illegal assembly at the regional trial court. Last Saturday, 73 or majority of the hundred workers, were dismissed.

“This is the management’s way of getting away with the non-implementation of the wage increase orders. The wage boards have only granted insulting amounts for a wage hike, why are many companies so greedy not to grant even this measly amount? Even if the workers held real strikes from work, their demand is more than justified,” Soluta said.

Machine Bank

KMU also trooped to the Machine Bank at Araneta Avenue, Quezon City, where the union officers were fired after also being charged with illegal strike last week.

The workers, also, only picketed the management at off-duty hours and without disturbing the business, because they refused to recognize the duly-elected union and their Collective Bargaining.

The union was formed 4 years ago, with the DOLE already recognizing – after failing to discredit - the elections for the union. They then pursued with their collective bargaining, as any union is entitled to, last 2005, but the management continued to refuse. This June of 2008, the workers filed a case of refusal to bargain against the management.

NLRC

KMU also proceeded to the National Labor Relations Commission office at Banawe Ave, as the prime government agency responsible for allowing the unjust decusions against the workers.

“We warn the NLRC and DOLE not to be at ease in always siding with the capitalist owners, and allowing for the various cases of massive lay-offs no matter how invalid the reasons of the management are,” said Soluta.