Furniture firm workers seek medical benefits

Over 60 members of Mehitabel Workers Employees Union staged a noise barrage to protest the alleged gradual scrapping of their medical assistance by the management of the furniture firm.

MWEU alleged that Mehitabel Inc. is not giving them the benefits they need especially their medical needs.

Roxanne Omega-Doron of the National Council for Workers Rights said that workers have acquired occupational related-illnesses due to the nature of their work which entails frequent exposure to dust.

Whenever workers ask for medicines, she said there are none available at the company’s own clinic.

He said Mehitabel Inc. reasoned that the company suffers from the economic crisis, thus the shortage in medicine, which she doubted because Mehitabel is a high-end furniture company that caters to international clients.

MWEU President Zosimo Borja said their P267 pay per day is not enough for them to buy medicine for cough, colds, fever and other illnesses caused by overworking in the plant.

He said the compressed work week schedule and the forced overtime are also the reason why workers have occupation-related illnesses.

Members of MWEU are asking for a wage increase to combat the rising prices of fuel, basic commodities and fare.

Borja also said they are asking for a collective bargaining agreement and the abolition of compressed work week and forced overtime because these pose health and physical risks to workers.  — Jessica Ann Pareja/BRP