“Our battle against an unfair labor practice will continue.”

This is the battle cry of the seven retrenched workers of the Pambato Cargo Forwarder Inc. Iloilo Branch after management refused to let them return to their jobs.

In yesterday’s hearing, the National Labor Relations Commission has ordered both parties to submit their respective position papers together with supporting documents within 20 days or before Jan. 3, 2013, after the company refused to agree to the amicable settlement proposal of the retrenched workers. 

Atty. Rene Estocapio, legal counsel of the workers, said that the Pambato Cargo management has committed an unfair labor practice.

He said the creation of the workers’ union and the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the workers and management last year were indications that the company is in good standing.

“Why did they renew their CBA if they suffer losses?” Estocapio said, citing the company’s reason for the retrenchment.

On the other hand, 52-year old Fatima Majarucon of Bolilao, Mandurriao and one of the affected workers, said that it’s not true that the company is losing.

Serving for 26 years as collector and later as bookkeeper, Majarucon said after they were retrenched on October 30 this year, the company hired contractual workers and acquired two trucks.

She added that after serving six administrations, it was only under the management of Jocelyn Gleyo that the problem happened.

As the breadwinner of the family comprising of one child in college, two in high school and one in elementary, Majarucon said she did not only lose her job but also her hope to sustain her family’s needs.

Presently, she depends on her family’s help and the small income of her husband, a laborer.

She added, some workers were even tempted to accept the separation pay offered by the company but they discovered they will be paid equivalent to 23 days in a month for one year instead of the 30 days that’s stated in their CBA.

The group’s lawyer said they are also lobbying for the release of their 13th month.

The other affected workers are Vicente Doromal, Jun Ajusan, Ronnel Padora, Gerry Santillan, Rogelio Velasco, and Romeo Bares.

The workers and their families have been picketing in front of the Pambato Cargo office since October.

NLRC Arbiter Rodrigo Camacho said they are doing their best to hurry the resolution as they already have the petition but the decision would take three to six months to be handed down.*