Workers’ group readies strike vs beverage firm

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A group of workers is now expected to stage a strike against its employer,  Asia Brewery Inc., due to the latter's announcement that it will close its operations in Negros Occidental.

The reported closure of ABI will result in the layoffs of its 32 truck drivers and personnel operating in the province. It also prompted the Department of Labor and Employment-Region 6 to hold in abeyance the  certification election, slated on February 12, which was the last requisite in formalizing the union.

In a press statement, Samuel Gavoro, president of the Samahan ng mga Driver at Helper ng Asia Brewery sa Bacolod-Super Federation, said the "sham closure" of the beverage firm was a form of union busting tantamount to unfair labor practice.

Gavoro alleged there was “conspiracy between ABI and DOLE because DOLE entertained the appeal of our employer.” He added: “Under the rules of certification election, management is only a bystander party in intra-union affairs. It has no power to appeal the certification election, as its only role is to supply the list of workers in their company or branch.”

The ABI workers' labor struggle started in July 2014, and that the management allegedly refused to give them a copy of their payslips. “It was just a small demand but it opened a can of worms,” Gavoro said.

The workers claimed they discovered that their overtime pay and night differential pay were allegedly unpaid. "We also found out that our SSS and Pag-Ibig contributions were not paid completely,” he said, adding that their unissued pay slips prompted them to create a labor union, which the management had opposed.

“This is union busting,” complained Gavoro, saying that they will also hold a national boycott campaign against ABI products.