Displaced furniture firm workers get assistance

The management of Giardini del Sole yesterday agreed to give P5,000 financial assistance to each of the company’s displaced workers, on top of their separation pay and back wages.

The agreement was arrived at during a negotiation at the office of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes who was forced to intervene after non-striking workers complained that members of the workers’ union picketing outside the company premises blocked them from entering the compound.

Likewise, the Mandaue City government also agreed to provide livelihood assistance to the displaced workers through the three-month emergency employment program wherein they will have a chance to render services to the city with the Department of Labor and Employment shouldering 80 percent of their salary.

DOLE has allocated P375,000 for the program.

DOLE Assistant Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga said the Mandaue City government may hire the displaced workers after validation from DOLE.

Present during the negotiation were leaders of the Partidong Manggagawa, Giardini del Sole owner Giovanni Boschi, DOLE-7 Director Elias Cayanong, Sarcauga, and National Conciliation and Mediation Board head Edmund Mirasol.

As a sign of good faith, PM spokesman Dennis Derige said the union would no longer obstruct the entry and exit of non-striking workers to and from the company starting today.

Union leaders also signed a covenant that the union would notify the city on whether or not the union would agree to accept full separation for the displaced workers by Friday.

Meanwhile, the striking workers are calling on the church to help them convince the company to adopt a work rotation scheme, instead of letting them take a forced leave.

Primitivo Ginoo, Jr., president of the Nagkahiusang Puwersa nga Mamumuo sa Giardini del Sole, said they are appealing to Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, as well as to other church officials, to support the fight of the displaced workers.

Last week, the CBCP expressed support to the call for an employment summit to help address the problem of Filipino workers affected by the global economic crisis.

PM had concurred with the stand of Giardini del Sole workers that the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s demand to reduce the number of holidays and remove the holiday premium is the fire signal of the capital’s war against labor amidst the crisis.

PM Chairman Renato Magtubo said employers will be using the global crisis “as a sharp knife to tear to shreds the already tattered safety nets and labor standards that protect workers.”

The management of Giardini del Sole declared a temporary shutdown last December after it lost majority of its clients abroad to the global financial meltdown. — Flor Z. Perolina and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)