Cargo firm workers hold Nov. 1 rally vs layoffs

ILOILO CITY—Workers of a nationwide cargo forwarder company spent their All Saints’ Day staging a protest action against the termination of workers.

Employees of the Pambato Cargo Forwarders Inc. (PCFI) in Iloilo have been holding protest actions in front of their office on Rosario and Sagasa Streets after management announced the retrenchment of seven regular employees effective Oct. 31.

The management claimed that it was reducing its workforce due to a slump in company earnings but the employees refused to buy the line.

“They have no proof that the company is losing. This is part of a nationwide scheme to terminate regular and unionized workers and replace us with contractual employees,” said Vicente Doromal, shop steward of the PCFI Employees Union (PCFI-EU) and one of those laid off.

The Inquirer tried but failed to contact representatives of the company at their Iloilo and Manila offices.

Doromal, 53, said he had worked for the company for 18 years. A coemployee who was also laid off had worked for 26 years.

“We have been loyal to the company. How can we feed our families?” he told Inquirer.

Doromal said management had offered a compensation package but he said they were denied due process and needed their jobs.

Management and the nationwide employees’ union had signed a five-year collective bargaining agreement last month which provided among others grievance mechanisms on workers’ security of tenure.

But seven employees had been terminated without due process, said Estelito Luces, head of the union.

“It would be a bleak Christmas for the families of the seven employees,” said Luces.

The labor union on Oct. 30 filed a complaint against the company for alleged unfair labor practices at the National Labor Relations Commission.