DAVAO CITY – Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte maintained that the City Council and the city government here will resolve the problem besetting the workers of a Japanese-owned fruit company without the help of other groups.
Duterte’s statement came after incoming labor undersecretary Joel Maglunsod said that they should continue the talks to resolve the issue of the dismissed workers of Nakashin Davao International.
In the Facebook post of Vice Mayor Pulong Duterte-Official account on Monday, June 6, Duterte said: “The City Council and the Local Government are committed to put an early and fair resolution of the Nakashin labor problem free from the interference of other groups which causes undue confusion and complicates matters.”
From the Facebook post of Vice Mayor Pulong Duterte-Official
“The duty of the administration is to ensure that the rights of both the employer and employee under the law are protected and preserved. We are the government and we know what is right and legal, so leave the duty to help mediate and resolve the labor concern to us,” Duterte said.
Duterte reiterated that he will only sit down with Nakashin and the employees “as these are the only entities which stand to lose or gain from the outcome of the negotiation.”
Duterte also said that he is “surprised” with Maglunsod’s statements.
“I am surprised that an incoming Labor Undersecretary is meddling with this issue as it sends a wrong signal to the country. With his insistence, one could easily say that KMU will force upon the throats of the companies to deal with them in times of labor conflicts but this time done under the cloak of state powers. Baka gawin pang requirement ng DOLE na may KMU na union muna bago makapag negosyo (Maybe DOLE would later require to have a KMU union first before businesses are allowed to operate),” he said.
Initial agreement
The workers went on strike on May 25 and after five days, a settlement handwritten on paper was signed between the workers, Duterte and Nakashin’s representative. The agreement indicated: that all 75 workers will be reinstated; that the company will regularize 10 workers every month; and payment of full backwages of the workers.
Caption: The initial agreement between the Nakashin Davao International and the dismissed employees indicated that all workers will be reinstated. (Photo from Kilusang Mayo Uno Southern Mindanao Region)
However, on the same day that the agreement was signed, the workers had a meeting with Duterte to finalize the agreement.
According to the KMU the settlement bogged down after the company and Duterte “have made a 360 degree turn and have withdrawn their support and approval for the outlined settlement.”
Company losing
During the Monday meeting at the vice mayor’s office, Duterte said that he was told by the company that 280 more workers “might be sacked” due to the possible closure of the company “because of the barricade.”
He added that the company is losing and were asked to pay P60 million to their international clients for a breach of contract.
“They might shut down the company,” Duterte said.
Nakashin is an exporter of frozen mangoes and pineapple to the European and Japanese market and is based in Malagamot, Panacan, Davao City.
All contractuals
Carlo Olalo, spokesperson of KMU Southern Mindanao said the members of Namana are all contractual workers.
“That is the reason why they protested, because they should be regularized,” Olalo said. He said the contractual workers have been working for at least two years, while the longest service of the dismissed workers is nine years.
Olalo said the negotiations before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board is still ongoing.
On April 9, the company dismissed 75 workers after they refused to sign a blank waiver and quitclaim and to write a resignation letter in exchange for P1,000. KMU said most of the dismissed workers worked for the company for at least three years, some of them worked for eight years.On April 21, the dismissed workers put up a protest camp outside the company to demand for their reinstatement.
Nakashin’s legal counsel is Atty. Manases Carpio, the husband of incoming Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.(davaotoday.com)
