Strike notice torn

DAVAO. Sumifru workers say notice to end strike from the Department of Labor and Employment was not followed by the Kilusang Mayo Uno.

by LYKA AMETHYST H. CASAMAYOR, Sunstar, Oct 20, 2018

SUMIFRU workers said that the notice to end the strike from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) was not followed instead was torn by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) protesters.

Last October 11, KMU staged its protest in Compostela Valley Province, accordingly, to call for a P750 wage increase together with their participation in the collective bargaining agreement with the banana company.

“The conflict happened because the Assumption of Jurisdiction signed by Dole Secretary Silvestre Bello III served to the strikers on October 5 was not followed instead the strikers tore the notice,” Sumifru Labor Union Flor Cabatingan said in a text message to SunStar Davao Saturday.

Cabatingan said five days after the strike on October 1, the workers of the three cooperatives, namely, Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Montevista ug Compostela, Tingug sa Yanong Trabahante Unyon, and North Skilled Workers Independent Union waited for another five days for the strikers to follow the order of ending the protest.

She also said that the order was for the company to resume to normal operations and to just let the court decide on the strike issues.

“However, it seems the strikers who represent a very small minority wanted to prolong the strike which would mean more than 10 days loss of income for the majority of workers,” Cabatingan said.

“So they decided to force the issue of stopping the strike so they can report for work,” she added.

The National Labor Relations Commission will handle the case.

“Yung CIO group nagtrabaho na after the takeover. Yung mga strikers will have to face the consequences on not following the mandate in the Assumption of Jurisdiction na order ni Dole Secretary Bello which might be termination of employment,” Cabatingan said, adding that they might also face other piled up cases.