Anakpawis joins rally of workers affected by layoffs

CEBU, Philippines – In solidarity with workers whose job security is being threatened, Partylist group Anakpawis held a rally at the National Labor Relations Commission office yesterday to call for a speedy resolution of the cases involving those affected by mass layoffs.

Anakpawis spokesman Nicasio Igot said NLRC is mandated by law to resolve cases within 90 days but it allegedly usually takes more than two years for the office to resolve cases.

Anakpawis also went to the Keppel shipyard in barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City to support shipyard workers who are on the verge of termination.

The Keppel workers union already filed a notice of strike last March 16 and has since staged a picket at the gate of Keppel shipyard together with workers from other companies.

“Not just workers but even capitalists like the Cebu shipowners are opposing Keppel’s plan to shift from ship repair to ship building and retrench a big majority of regular workers. Yet Keppel maintains its hard-line position. Thus, we are forced to hold a strike as the workers’ defensive weapon,” said Roger Igot, president of Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Baradero Keppel Shipyard-National Federation of Labor. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO  (THE FREEMAN)