Japanese firm fires 2 union leaders
CLARK FREE PORT—A Japanese tire-making company here has dismissed two union leaders working to have two labor groups certified by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
But Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc. (YTPI) said they were sacked after being implicated in an alleged anomaly.
Philip Gamboa, president of the 300-strong Alliance of Yokohama Supervisory Personnel, and Sonny Guzman, president of the Alliance of Yokohama Employees with 2,000 members, said their employment was terminated shortly after they were suspended for receiving tokens on behalf of their fellow employees.
Angelina Casasola, YTPI vice president for administration division, said the firm believed Gamboa had conspired with Guzman in receiving P61,507 worth of gift checks from a fast-food chain that were intended for the employees’ family day in August 2014.
Casasola said the dismissals were not related to their efforts to organize unions.
Guzman showed a list signed by 48 recipients of gift checks, to establish that these were distributed.
Gamboa said the management knew about the tokens and how these were given as incentives to employees who attended the event.
They were contesting their preventive suspension in the National Labor Relations Commission when they were sacked. They are seeking reinstatement owing to their 10 to 13 years of employment with YTPI.
Casasola said YTPI did not have a no-union policy. The firm had experienced a labor strike in 1997 when the union was led by the Kilusang Mayo Uno.
The two unions are affiliated with the Philippine Trade and General Workers Organization. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon
