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3,000 march against Lepanto

Workers on 4th week of strike

MANKAYAN, Benguet (July 2) — A march-rally led by the Lepanto Employees Union (LEU) belied the claims of the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (Lepanto) that 80% of the strikers want to return to work.

Over 3,000 workers, along with their wives and children, marched from Poblacion to the company’s General Office to condemn such claim, including Lepanto’s ongoing recruitment despite unfinished negotiations with the union. Mankayan farmers, members of the MAQUITACDG (Mankayan, Quirino, Tadian, Cervantes, Danggayan a Gunglo) including peasants from Mt. Province supported the march-rally.

In a short program at the General Office, LEU President Ninian Lang-agan condemned Lepanto’s recruitment, adding that the hiring takes place in the guise of project employment. Project workers are those hired to work on a separate contract, which means the said workers are terminated once the contract is finished.

However, Lang-agan claimed that Lepanto does not terminate the project workers, and instead hire them as permanent employees to replace the striking workers. He said some 80 “project employees” have entered the minesite.

Not serious, insincere

In a separate interview, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU)-Cordillera Spokesperson James Tulipa said that the ongoing recruitment only shows Lepanto’s insincerity in negotiating with its workers.

“By hiring new workers with the labor dispute still unsettled, management only intends to end the negotiations and abandon the issues the workers are raising. The workers will not allow this.” he said. He added that if Lepanto really needed new workers, it could always hire these once the strike is over.

Lang-agan said that union officers are currently doing the rounds, explaining to Lepanto’s recruiters not to hire other mineworkers until the demands are settled. Recruitment has reached Cebu, where Assistant Resident Manager Engr. Ernesto Laoagan formerly worked, particularly in Atlas Mining. Tulipa said LEU officials and the KMU spoke to the Cebuano recruits of the strike, and explained to them their plight.

“It was here that we learned that these new recruits were not informed of the strike. Instead, they were told that the labor situation here is well and good. We also understand their situation because the workers are only looking for livelihood sources,” he said.

As of June 30, the Cebuano recruits number 27, while another group of 42 is expected, Tulipa said, including some 30 mineworkers from Philex Mines in Itogon. Recruitment is also ongoing in Kalinga, Mt. Province, and Baguio City.

Twenty new recruits from the Visayas arrived in Mankayan on July 1, and were blocked at the Tubo gate when they tried to enter. Tulipa said the workers explained their situation to the Visayan recruits, brought them to the picketline and offer them food.

Also on July 1, the Cebuano workers signed a paper with the striking workers that they were not at all harmed while at the picketline. The Cebuano recruits are now on their way home, KMU said.

Lang-agan, who is a native of Guinaang village in Bontoc, Mt. Province, said that officers have gone as far their hometowns to explain to their kakailyan the company’s intentions when it recruits new mineworkers in the middle of the strike.

“The response in Bontoc is positive. The kakailyan even committed to go to Lepanto if management remains stiff in its position”, he said.

On June 28, NORDIS sources in Mankayan claimed that strike supporters were already banned from joining the workers in the picketlines.

“Management has no business preventing these individuals and organizations from supporting us. They have no authority to do so”, Lang-agan stressed.

Also on June 28, workers picketing the Tubo gate were able to prevent the entry of some 12 scabs (“iskirol”) that were inside an L-300 van.

Some of the women leaders here reported seeing some scabs dressed in PNP uniforms headed towards the Buaki mine portal, which could be a ploy to discourage the workers form confronting them, they said.

“The workers have doubled their efforts in manning the entry of people and vehicles at the picketed gates”, Tulipa said.

At around 2 a.m. on July 2, 15 workers manning the Carlos Palanca Jr. Hall were illegally arrested and detained by PNP forces. However, the order reportedly came from company security head Col. Wilhelm Doromal. Right after, the Nayak gate was forcibly opened, also by the PNP. Another 4 workers were arrested and detained. At around 10 a.m, local residents conducted an indignation rally in front of the municipal hall and called for the immediate release of the said workers. Union officers also dialogued with some municipal officers on this. As of presstime, these workers have not been released. Like the dispersals carried out by the PNP on June 18 and 21, the arrests were made at dawn.

Counter arguments

At the General Office, workers confronted the management on standing issues.

Here, Lepanto’s Atty. Weldy Manlong came out to face the workers, and explained that given the company’s financial status, it could not grant LEU’s wage proposal, which is P29 for the first and second years and P33 for the third year. But he said that if the workers would return to work, the wage increase proposed by DoLE, which is P25-P27-P29, would be implemented.

Manlong also mentioned that the company is just complying with the DoLE order. He said the recruitment process is an option DoLE has granted them given the situation, where production is paralyzed.

He added that Lepanto would have to close down in two years if it gives in to the union’s demands. In an earlier interview, LEU Auditor and Spokesperson Ronald Maslian said that such scenario is impossible since the company has already applied for expansion and have opened doors for investors.

“The difference between the DoLE order and Lepanto proposal is a mere P10 in the housing allowance. We cannot afford to lower our P29-P29-P33 proposal since it is the lowest adjustment we can afford. Company’s proposal is very meager compared to the billions they have raked in through our sweat,” Maslian said.

During the first bout of negotiations in February 2005, LEu proposed for P100-P100-P100, which Lepanto counter-proposed with P0-P10-P11.

LEU officers reiterated other issues, which include Lepanto’s non-remittance of Social Security Service (SSS) and loan deductions, and human rights violations executed by elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and company security under Col. Wilhelm Doromal during the picketline dispersals.

Manlong failed to answer all the issues raised.

Lang-agan further criticized Lepanto for using the children to discourage the workers from pursuing the strike. He said that Lepanto representatives went to the schools and told the children that they would go hungry and would not be able to finish school if their fathers went on with the strike.

“If Lepanto really means well for our children, they should just give in to our demands”, he said.

Maslian further condemned DoLE for favoring Lepanto, adding that DoLE should guide the workers for the advancement of their rights and welfare but in practice its orders worsen the workers’ plight.

In a position paper after the multipartite talks at the Benguet Provincial Capitol last week, the union reiterated its proposal that pending negotiations on wages and other benefits, the company shall reconsider, recall or withdraw the Notice of Termination issued to some 75 workers, including criminal cases filed against union officers; unless the issues are resolved, workers who choose not to report shall not be dismissed; and that the company shall not employ retaliatory moves against the union. # Kim Quitasol & Abi Bengwayan for NORDIS

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