Workers, firm mgt settle labor conflict

CEBU - The management and the workers of the country’s biggest furniture manufacturing and exporting company, Giardini del Sole Inc. in Mandaue City, have settled their labor dispute yesterday before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.

The settlement averted the plan of the Nagkahiusang Pwersa nga Mamumuo sa Giardini-Partido ng Manggagawa to file a notice of strike.

The union has accused the company management of illegal temporary shutdown and union busting.

During the negotiations, the management and the union agreed to establish a joint evaluation team that includes the union, management and the Department of Labor and Employments NCMB to rotate work among as many of the workers as possible.

It was also agreed that there would be granting of financial assistance of P5,000 and one sack of rice for the duration of the temporary shutdown which will be deducted from the separation pay of the workers in case of permanent closure.

Likewise, no worker will be terminated and only voluntary resignations will be accepted and back wages for the holiday pay last December equivalent to three days salary will be released.

Eulito Fin Jr., NPMG-PM vice president said that the workers can now have a voice on how the company will cope with the crisis, which cannot be used by the management as a reason to bust their newly-created union.

Fin added they fought for their demands and they did not protested the decision of the factory to temporarily shutdown, they could have been all jobless and hungry by now.

“By rotating the job among the workers together with the subsidy from the management, we have a fighting chance to survive the crisis,” Fin explained.

PM spokesperson Dennis Derige said that the Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu unions that were preparing for solidarity actions to sympathize with the Giardini workers will now shift to campaign for a bailout scheme for the workers.

Derige said the bailout scheme is for the Social Security System, the Government Service Insurance System and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to subsidize all private sector workers, government employees and OFWs, who would be laid off due to the crisis that should last until they find a new job or up to the maximum of six months.

It maybe recalled that the management of Giardini del Sole declared a temporary shutdown last Monday claiming there has been no order coming their international market.

As a result of such temporary closure, more than 400 workers lost their jobs.

Giardini del Sole owner and president Giovanni Boschi said that 95 percent of his market is based in the United States of America while the rest are in Italy and other parts of Europe.

Boschi said the worldwide economic crunch has really taken a toll in their operations, and in fact, more than 150 of the company’s casual employees were already laid-off in November. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB   (THE FREEMAN)