Mill workers’ picket at DOLE tomorrow

Members of the Vicmico Industrial Workers’ Association will stage a picket in front of the Department of Labor and Employment provincial office in Bacolod City tomorrow, an official of VIWA said yesterday.

The action is to reiterate the demand of the group about the status of the collective bargaining agreement of its members with the Victorias Milling Co. Inc., VIWA president Jonathan Dequiña said.

In November last year, VIWA in a press release  said that it wrote another letter addressed to Rowena Turingan-Sanchez, Director IV, Office of the President, on the status of the its case.

Dequiña said the long-awaited decision can alleviate the financial difficulties seriously affecting their 823 union members and their families.

He said labor undersecretary Romeo Lagman penned the decision, granting VIWA members a three percent wage hike per year for the five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2011, including other stipulated benefits, the press release said.

However, he said, the VMC filed an appeal to the Office of the President, capitalizing on compliance of Air Pollution Standards set by the environment department, costing P218,295,000 in denying the wage increase to VIWA members.

Dequiña said the real issue is the willingness of the new VMC management to grant the much-needed wage increase under the prevailing economic situation, the press release added.* –Daily Star