Photo courtesy of Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Workers of a food manufacturing corporation have sought the help of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) to intervene in what they described as a looming ‘mass termination’ that can affect at least 630 factory employees.
Members of the Liwayway Workers’ Union held a picket protest in front of DOLE-7 along General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City on Monday, September 19, 2022.
They urged the government to look into Liwayway’s decision to issue Notices of Termination to its 630 contractual workers stationed in its Mandaue City plant last August 15.
Cebu labor group, Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (AMA Sugbo-KMU), said in a press release that it stemmed from the manufacturer’s move to transfer its operations further north, in Liloan town.
“On August 15, 2022, contractual workers of Oishi manufacturer Liwayway Marketing Corporation (LMC) in Maguikay, Mandaue City, Cebu received Notices of Termination due to LMC transferring operations to a new warehouse in Liloan, Cebu. Contracting agencies of LMC, including Jed Agency and Allied Services Corporation, Golden Mac Manpower Agency, Cebu Easy General Services Corporation, and PMI Agency, are set to terminate all contractual workers. It is estimated that around 630 workers will be affected,” said AMA Sugbo-KMU.
Liwayway is the manufacturer of the Oishi brand.
Aside from a protest, the workers also conducted a dialogue with officers from DOLE-7 on Monday.
During the dialogue, officials of the Liwayway Workers’ Union requested labor regulators to compel their employer to keep their jobs.
Elven Cambaya, Vice Chairperson of AMA Sugbo-KMU and a worker of Liwayway Marketing Corporation, also hoped DOLE would act on their appeal filed last 2018 for regularization and benefits, which they claimed have not been fulfilled by the company.
“Kon mopirma mi sa quitclaim o waiver aron makadawat sa amo separation pay, mabawian ang LMC og obligasyon nga i-regularisa kami kon madaog na namo ang kaso,” Cambaya said.
(If we sign the quitclaim or waiver to receive our separation pay, LMC will no longer be obligated to regularize us, even if we win the case.)
CDN Digital has reached out to Liwayway Marketing Corporation for their comment as of this posting.
/bmjo
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