Home | To bottom

Rabbit MOA still unfulfilled

BAGUIO CITY (Nov. 19) — Almost a month after the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the members of the Philippine Rabbit Bus Employees Union (PRBEU) and the owner of the Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines (PRBL), workers are still waiting for the implementation the MOA contents.

Bernie Visaya , executive secretary of PRBEU, said the bus line owner has never been true to his words. “Tama kami sa pagsasabing hindi talaga mapagkakatiwalaan ang mga may-ari ng kumpanya. Magmula’t sapul ay binabalasubas nila ang kanilang mga manggagawa” (We were right in saying that the company owners can never be trusted. They have always fooled the workers) exclaimed Visaya.

The management and one of the PRBL owners, Nicholo Nisce pleaded to the union members and officers to enter into a second MOA in an attempt to end the seven-month strike that paralyzed the bus company’s operations.

The union hesitantly gave the family-owned company a second chance as they still believe that the Nisce family is incapable of complying with whatever promises they make.

The workers staged the second wave of strike on April 3, 2004 when the PRBL management refused to comply with the first MOA signed on December 18, 2002. The two MOAs contain the same provisions, as the second is only an updated version of the first.

The owner promised the workers their back wages in installment basis plus additional wages if they return to work from the agreed lifting of strike on October 22. However, the management bargained that they could only pay on November 15 when they are able to collect money from passengers’ fares.

But Visaya stressed that the workers did not receive a single centavo and not all of them have been absorbed, as other buses are not functioning. Visaya added that if this matter will not be resolved, the workers have no other choice but to stage another strike.

“Habang walang awang minamasaker ang mga kapatid naming mga manggagawa sa Hacienda Luisita ay namamatay naman kaming mga manggagawa ng PRBL sa gutom dahil hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa ibinibigay ng kompanya ang sahod ng mga manggagawa.” (While they mercilessly massacre our co-workers in Hacienda Luisita, the workers of PRBL are also dying of hunger because the company is not giving our wages.) Visaya added. # Aldwin Quitasol for NORDIS

Home | Back to top