Tuesday, February 03, 2009

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/02/03/09/laid-furniture-workers-launch-%E2%80%98strike%E2%80%99-mandaue-city

Laid off furniture workers launch ‘strike’ in Mandaue City

By CARINE M. ASUTILLA, ABS-CBN News Central Visayas | 02/03/2009 11:25 PM

Around 120 laid-off workers of Giardini Del Sole staged a 'strike’ in front of their factory in Alang-Alang in Mandaue City Monday morning.

The laid-off workers called Giovanni Boschi, the owner of Giardini, as a liar after the company reportedly refused to grant an agreement for work rotation. The workers also accused the company of union busting since most of the laid-off workers were members of their union.

Eulito Fin Jr., Vice-President of Nagkahiusang Pundok sa mga Mamumuo sa Giardini (NPMG), said that there were 250 workers who were retrenched last January 5. He said the company’s management let the workers take a vacation last December 5 and told them to come back a month after. When they did, he said they were told that they have just lost their jobs.

The management reportedly explained to the workers that the company has not received any orders of furniture abroad for two months as an effect of the global financial crisis.

Boschi also clarified that the company laid-off only 240 workers instead of the previous reports of 250 workers. Boschi said they have 480 workers and he retained 240 of them.

Boschi came out from the factory and tried to stop the strike. He said that the company had to stop work since the workers who were not laid-off could no longer come inside because of fear that they might be attacked by the striking employees.

When tension grew, Boschi climbed up to the guard house by the gate of the factory. Using a megaphone, Boschi threatened the group that they will be sent to jail for having no permit in launching the rally.

In an interview with TV Patrol Central Visayas, the company owner said that he will ask the National Bureau of Investigation to probe the striking workers. He said he believe that the workers were paid by a competing company to bring his company down.

“They paid these people, they want to kill my company. This is the biggest factory in Cebu that is still open. The others are closed,” said Boschi.

Boschi also expressed his surprise at the protest action. He said that he has given the workers their benefits, which he said include the P5,000 financial assistance for them.

“I said to them that I will give the P5,000 in 30 days but I gave it in 19 days,” said Boschi.

Earlier the company promised that they will give the workers their separation pay starting this month. The company is also working on their one sack of rice subsidy.

Police from Mandaue City arrived to check the protest action. The company said it asked for their presence to disperse the strikers.

The group of striking workers however showed the police their notice to strike. The police only advised them to hold their strike meters away from the entrance of the factory and to let the other workers come in and proceed with work inside.

When the strikers started to calm down, Joseph LLanto who is a conciliator of National Conciliation and Mediation Board came. He said that situation with the protest action is normal since the workers were not disturbing the public by shouting out loud. He said that the workers were just expressing their disappointment with the company.

Llanto said that they will see to it that the two parties will meet and come up with an agreement.

Llanto also said that Giardini has been able to comply with their first agreement, which was to give the laid-off workers their financial assistance. With reports from Junrey Nadela, ABS-CBN Cebu

as of 02/03/2009 11:25 PM

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