By ACE R. MORANDANTE
Davao Today

“Nag-ugat ang strike na ito nu’ng hindi nila binigay ang tamang benepisyo sa mga empleyado.” -- Eliseo Avellana, one of the 11 clinical instructors “illegally terminated” by the Brokenshire College administration ...

By CHERYLL D. FIEL
Davao Today

Rodney Baslot, President of Brokenshire College Faculty and Staff Union, said they might take this means of last resort as the management made several moves against the union, the latest being the “illegal dismissal” of 11 instructors on March 8. ...

By ALEX D. LOPEZ Davao Today While the plight of Filipino workers continues, the Aquino government worsens it with this year’s implementation of the two-tiered wage system through the Department of Labor and Employment. ...

By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA Davao Today "He is the only bishop of the Roman Catholic Church who gave a statement supporting workers last May 1, the Labor Day. You cannot say something you did not see for yourself. I believe that (he) being the shepherd will encourage his fellow priests and the members of the church to be defenders of workers’ rights," said Sr. Noemi Degala, Society of Missionary Sisters of Mary.  ...

By ALEX D. LOPEZ Davao Today “SWS said unemployment increased from 26 to 29 percent.  For KMU, it is more.  The biggest number of the labor force comes from the peasant sector,” Labog said.  “(A) huge numbers of peasants are unemployed,” he added. ...

By JOHN RIZLE L SALIGUMBA Davao Today Union vice-chaiperson Larry Arguilles said that they have since observed many unidentified personnel in plain clothes in their packaging plant since then.  He said these men entered the company grounds freely while workers are required to wear prescribed uniforms and identification cards.  He added that these same men have been going from house to house of union members to discourage them from pursuing the strike. ...

By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN Davao Today “Ms. Mi Kyung Kwon (the company’s owner) will not give fringe benefits to the workers because for her, salaries are already enough” -- Irwin Canalda, president of the Freshmax Workers Union ...

By ALEX D. LOPEZ Davao Today “This is a mass walk-out of DOH employees to press Secretary Enrique Ona to release our hazard pay starting July of this year,” said Jonathan Placido, President of DOH-XI Employees Association. ...

By ALEX D. LOPEZ Davao Today There was a rise in cases of “swap-lat” or sex in exchange for shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), or sealant or rugby -- the latter commonly used as cheaper alternatives to drugs. ...

By JOHN RIZLE SALIGUMBA Davao Today RDEU, an affiliate of the militant National Federation of Labor Unions and Kilusang Mayo Uno, hailed the strike as pivotal to the resolution of the labor dispute saying that the “weight of workers’ strike (is) a valid and only option to defend the workers” interest, especially with the current “rampant wage freeze and wage hike moratorium among the yellow traditional labor unions.” ...