DAVAO CITY – Workers led by Kilusang Mayo Uno picketed the Social Security System’s national office in Quezon City on Monday morning to press for immediate assistance for the families of victims and the survivors of the Kentex factory fire.
KMU said the SSS should give the families of the victims and the survivors an assistance package “beyond the agency’s regular funeral assistance, death benefits and compensation, because those who died and were laid off are the breadwinners of their families.”
“We’re talking of families who have lost their breadwinners and whose breadwinners have lost their jobs. They would need a few months before they can find ways to raise the income that they lost,” Lito Ustarez, KMU vice-chairperson said.
“The Kentex fire is not a usual workplace accident and the Kentex workers are victims of many injustices. The SSS should recognize these facts and give the Kentex workers bigger financial assistance,” said Lito Ustarez, KMU vice-chairperson.
KMU also condemned the SSS management for failing to find out the Kentex management’s refusal to remit workers’ contributions to the fund and for failing to compel the company to remit the said contributions despite having collected these from the workers.
The labor center also said that the SSS should speed up the process of recognizing all Kentex workers as SSS members and of releasing their benefits connected with the factory fire.
