Dismissed bananeros picket MFI

Some banana workers from Pantukan picketed outside the corporate headquarter of the Musahat Farms, Inc. (MFI) in Pryce Tower last Wednesday to protest against the alleged illegal dismissal of some 52 workers.
In a statement, Esperidion Cabaltera, president of Musahamat Workers Labor Union (Farm II) – National Federation of Labor Unions – Kilusang Mayo Uno (MWLU-II-NAFLU-KMU), said another 19 banana workers of Kuwaiti banana exporter based in Brgy. Kingking, Pantukan, Compostela Valley, were also placed under 30-day suspension.
Cabaltera added that 19 more union members, including nine union leaders, were given their walking papers.
The layoffs occurred merely days after the existing sole and exclusive bargaining agent (SEBA) of won the certification election (CE) last February 22, he said
“The union sees the illegal dismissals as retaliation from the management and condemned the move,” the statement read. 
“Musahamat’s design here is to eradicate the presence of leaders and staunch supporters of the KMU union because they do not want us around shouting for rights. We have been consistently standing up to the company’s policy of arbitrary dismissals. We have been helping “overstaying” workers or “job-orders” who exceed service for six months and one day attain regular status. The company’s answer is to dismiss them outright but we are here fighting for their reinstatement,” said Cabaltera said.
He accused officials of the Musahamat Farms, Inc. of being an alleged “incorrigible union buster.”
“After the union’s February 22 victory in the certification election, Musahamat Farms, Inc. sent notices to 19 union leaders and members demanding explanation why they should not be dismissed from service for holding a picket protest on the dates February 9, 13, and 15,” he added.
The affected workers, he said, “sent their explanation informing the company that the picket constituted freedom of expression and that it was conducted peacefully without disturbing or hampering regular operations.”
 In a conciliation meeting on March 14, he said that representatives from the Musahamat Farms, Inc. manifested that they will terminate 19 union members, including 9 union leaders. On March 15, the union filed a notice of strike (NOS) at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.
“Musahamat Farms’ abusive behavior towards its workers is deplorable. What they did is clearly union busting. This company thinks itself as above the law. The workers’ issues are legitimate – right against illegal dismissals, illegal deductions, and regularization. The Labor Code does not exempt foreign employers from implementing labor laws and Musahamat should respect the law and the rights of Filipino workers,” Cabaltera added.
Meanwhile, the union is scheduled to conduct strike balloting on March 28 at Brgy. Kingking, Pantukan, Compostela Valley. Cheneen R. Capon