Media Advisory
August 27, 2018
Partido Manggagawa
Contact Rene Magtubo @ 09178532905
Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco workers to picket DOLE tom
What: Picket-protest and mediation by DOLE
When: Tom, August 28, 12:00 noon
Where: DOLE Intramuros
Members of the Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Labor Union (PMFTCLU-NAFLU) will hold another picket tomorrow as the deadline for the strike nears. The union is set to hold a strike vote in a few days. A strike can then be held seven days after a majority of union members vote yes.
The labor dispute at leading cigarette manufacturer is part of a rising wave of workers unrest. Scores of notices of strike have been filed and strikes are erupting in various companies.
The cigarette company shutdown its Vigan, Ilocos Sur redrying plant affecting 90 workers and also laid off 220 workers (1/3 of some 600 workforce) at Marikina factory three weeks ago.
In response the union filed notice of strike on August 9 and started protests. Today the union held a general assembly to finalize plans for the strike vote.
Management alleges "rightsizing" is due to forthcoming impact of TRAIN and other factors. Union avers shutdown and layoff is attended by bad faith and deceit as the basis and terms of the shutdown and layoff were not subject to negotiation.
Moreover management admitted that the company is profitable and workers have achieved the target key performance indicators. Thus the union is lambasting management for termination as a "reward" for labor productivity.
Some P2.35B or 65% of the P 3.63B total income of the Lucio Tan Group for the first quarter of this year came from its tobacco business.