Labor group calls for a timeout on mass layoffs at Mactan ecozone

CEBU, Philippines— A labor group has called for a timeout on retrenchments at Mactan Economic Zone.

Partido Manggagawa-Cebu also demanded immediate action from the Department of Labor and Employment, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and the local government units following a report that some 200 workers of a garments factory at MEZ went to work on Saturday only to be told that they are already jobless.

PM and the MEPZ Workers Alliance yesterday slammed the impromptu mass layoff at Yuenthai Philippines Inc. and tagged the move as “inhumane amidst the difficulties of life during the pandemic.”

Majority of the fired workers are women and breadwinners, they said in a statement.

The two groups are calling on workers at MEZ to unite and fight for their jobs.

“We have no one to depend on but ourselves, our unity and our struggle. Mag-bayanihan po tayo at lumaban para sa ating trabaho!” said Dennis Derige, spokesperson of PM-Cebu.

Cherry Abadilla, spokesperson for the MEPZ Workers Alliance, said they cannot accept that workers are the first to sacrifice in this time of pandemic and recession when they are the last to benefit during the period of economic boom.

PM and the MEPZ Workers Alliance have supported the Yuenthai workers in their fight.

Abadilla said many of the jobless workers are refusing to accept the company’s offer.

“Workers need jobs so they can earn their daily bread. Accepting the company’s offer of separation will just tide workers over for a few weeks. When it is consumed, how can workers and their families survive when there is no ayuda from the government and no hiring from other factories?” Abadilla said.

Abadilla herself was terminated last July 10 along with other 67 workers of Kor Landa Corp., a French-owned jewelry manufacturer at MEZ.

She is the president of the Kor Landa Workers Union who filed a notice of strike alleging that the mass layoff in their company was just a subterfuge for union busting.

DOLE has called the union and management to a preventive mediation to prevent a full-blown strike. — GMR (FREEMAN)