Union leaders denounce abusive practices in garments firms

Union leaders of three garments firms denounced the abusive practices employed by A. Bylsons Co. Inc., Karayom Garments Manufacturing Inc. and Anvil. Workers in Anvil had accused the management of overworking them to the point of plying them with drugs so they could stay awake and work with hardly a break for up to three days straight while officers and members of the Karayom union have been mounting a picket for seven months now after the management unilateraly decided to file an application for temporary closure last January 6- the same day the workers were informed of such move.

The issues raised by the union are: payment of 1.5 weeks unpaid salary for December 2002, payment of 60 percent of their 13th month pay; payment of 2002 unpaid vacation and sick leaves convertible to cash and unremitted SSS, Pag-IBIG and PhilHealth contributions. The union has filed charges of illegal closure and unpaid salaries and benefits with the Department of Labor and criminal and administrative charges against the owner. Source: Trials of Garments Workers in “At Large” by Rina Jimenez-David, Philippine Daily Inquirer