DAVAO CITY -- What started out as a labor dispute between the management and workers of frozen fruit exporter Nakashin International, Inc. has turned into a social media war involving Mayor-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio and her brother, reelected Vice-Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte, versus the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and incoming Labor Undersecretary Joel B. Maglunsod.
The Dutertes are children of President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte, who appointed Mr. Maglunsod, a member of the House of Representatives for partylist Anakpawis.
“I am surprised that an incoming Labor undersecretary is meddling with this issue as it sends a wrong signal to the country,” Mr. Duterte said in a statement.
“Ang tama ay tama. Ang mali ay mali (What is right is right, what is wrong is wrong). You cannot legitimize an illegal act by mere participation of a ‘presumptive’ undersecretary of labor,” said the vice-mayor referring to the protest action by former workers at Nakashin.
Meanwhile, Ms. Carpio defended her husband, Manases R. Carpio, who was criticized by the KMU for standing as Nakashin’s lawyer, citing conflict of interest.
“Nakashin is the client of my husband. He has been working to ask you to move to the side of the gate so that employees can go in and work and receive salaries to put food on the table for their families,” Ms. Carpio said in a Facebook post.
Ms. Carpio, also a lawyer and has a law office with her husband, said, “now, KMU, in what capacity are you conducting a picket? And what have you done for the employees so that they can take home money for their families?... There is no union, no legal strike not even employer-employee relationships between the agency and laid-off workers.”
Responding to Ms. Carpio’s post, Kenneth Lara, an employee of Nakashin, said: ”The workers only want to be reinstated and they are hoping that the local government unit can help them.”
Nakashin workers camped outside the company gates for 36 days prior to putting up a barricade in front of the company a few days ago after their demands were ignored.
KMU-Secretary General Carlo R. Olalo said among the demands of the workers are the reinstatement of the 75 workers who were allegedly illegally retrenched, the regularization of all long-term contractual workers, and the full payment of the workers’ Service Incentive Leave and other underpaid benefits.
Executive Judge Emmanuel C. Carpio, an uncle of Mr. Carpio, issued a 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) versus the striking workers on Friday, which expired June 5.
KMU said the TRO is illegal because the dispute has already been recognized and taken action upon by the Department of Labor and Employment and the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.
“Ang tama ay tama. Ang mali ay mali (What is right is right, what is wrong is wrong). You cannot legitimize an illegal act by mere participation of a ‘presumptive’ undersecretary of labor,” said the vice-mayor referring to the protest action by former workers at Nakashin.
Meanwhile, Ms. Carpio defended her husband, Manases R. Carpio, who was criticized by the KMU for standing as Nakashin’s lawyer, citing conflict of interest.
“Nakashin is the client of my husband. He has been working to ask you to move to the side of the gate so that employees can go in and work and receive salaries to put food on the table for their families,” Ms. Carpio said in a Facebook post.
Ms. Carpio, also a lawyer and has a law office with her husband, said, “now, KMU, in what capacity are you conducting a picket? And what have you done for the employees so that they can take home money for their families?... There is no union, no legal strike not even employer-employee relationships between the agency and laid-off workers.”
Responding to Ms. Carpio’s post, Kenneth Lara, an employee of Nakashin, said: ”The workers only want to be reinstated and they are hoping that the local government unit can help them.”
Nakashin workers camped outside the company gates for 36 days prior to putting up a barricade in front of the company a few days ago after their demands were ignored.
KMU-Secretary General Carlo R. Olalo said among the demands of the workers are the reinstatement of the 75 workers who were allegedly illegally retrenched, the regularization of all long-term contractual workers, and the full payment of the workers’ Service Incentive Leave and other underpaid benefits.
Executive Judge Emmanuel C. Carpio, an uncle of Mr. Carpio, issued a 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) versus the striking workers on Friday, which expired June 5.
KMU said the TRO is illegal because the dispute has already been recognized and taken action upon by the Department of Labor and Employment and the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.
Interesting. The Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU-May One Movement) is a Communist Party of the Philippines-associated labor federation. It would appear that President Duterte's much vaunted relationship with the CPP and its front organizations could become strained fairly quickly.
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