Kentex ordered to pay workers P7.8M

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Central Luzon issued on Sunday a cease-and-desist order against the subcontractor of Kentex Manufacturing Corp. for engaging in “labor only” subcontracting.

The Valenzuela City-based firm and CJC Manpower Services, which holds office in Meycauayan City, Bulacan, are also expected to receive a compliance order directing them to pay an initial P7.8 million to 99 workers who were unpaid. The beneficiaries were hired a month before a fire at the Kentex factory killed 72 workers on May 13, according to a statement issued by the DOLE Central Luzon office. It was not immediately known if the 99 workers included those who died in the deadly fire.

The labor department earlier said that CJC was an unregistered manpower service firm.

“A compliance order will be issued against Kentex and CJC Manpower Services directing them to pay the amount due the workers under the Labor Code as amended and other labor laws. Kentex will shoulder the liabilities as the direct employer [since] CJC Manpower Services [is] a ‘labor only’ contractor,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in the statement.

The compliance order will be issued by Ana Dione, DOLE Central Luzon director.

The P7.8 million excludes other monetary benefits such as overtime pay, night shift differential, 13th-month pay, holiday pay, vacation and leave pay and refund of cash bond, including social security benefits.

Baldoz said Kentex would be issued another compliance order covering its workers to be issued by Alex Avila, DOLE director in Metro Manila.–Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon