Dear fellow workers and Concerned Citizens,

We, the surviving Digitel employees are now embattled with latest move of DIGITEL /PLDT for “permanent closure”, allegedly due to the integration with PLDT. Notices of Redundancy with different dates were served to employees referring to management bulletin dated February 07, 2013 , just two weeks after issuance of the final Supreme Court decision dated January 21, 2013. The Decision affirmed the DOLE Secretary and the National Labor Relations Commission’s 2006 as follows;

1. For Digitel to Commence CBA negotiation with the union. The pendency of a petition for cancellation of union registration does not preclude collective bargaining.
2. Affected workers be reinstated and with full pay full back wages for –
Digiserv is a labor-only contractor and or just one department of Digitel thus; affected workers due to its closure were illegally dismissed,
3. Pay each affected employees P10,000 moral damages and P5,000 exemplary damages for finding DIGITEL guilty of Unfair Labor Practice for – bad faith in closure of Digiserve and replace it with I-tech; illegal dismissal of affected employees mostly union members and officers; and in violation of the Assumption Jurisdiction Order.

We expects that the said Supreme Court DECISION will bring us hope that our 19 years of struggles will be rewarded with success, yet we found it’s not going this way.

The Digitel/PLDT move similarly situated to the action of Digitel in this very case when it lay-off around 100 operators (close down Digiserve one of its department and put up I-tech to take the jobs of laid off employees ).

It makes sound sense for corporate greed to rid the union and regular workers and fill the company with contractuals who would work for much less!

To defend themselves, the union filed four Notices of Strike (NOS) that was slapped by the Labor Department with an Assumption Jurisdiction every time before the end of the cooling- off period.

Last March 18-21, 2013, we staged four day picket in front of DOLE and thereafter up to present staged synchronize protest picket in at least 6 regional business units from Northern Luzon to Bicol Region. This pushed Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to issue an order granting the Motion for Issuance of Execution and a Writ of Execution.

Now, the Digitel made a manifestation before DOLE Secretary’s Office that it will not negotiated as DECISION was already overtaken by supervening event – closure, integration of Digitel operation to PLDT.

Clearly the Digitel/PLDT move towards redundancy and closure is a blind move to avoid the responsibility of negotiating with the workers and replace regular workers with contractuals.

Hunger Strike is our last recourse if DOLE and Court will not push the decision to fruition, especially with telecomm giant Digitel/PLDT bent on choking the life out of the union and mangling the law to unrecognizability. Our experience also reveals that we have nowhere to go under the system, as concerned authorities on their part are just watching until their decision turn to a mere scrap.

Our case maybe a rare land mark decision that maybe useful for your/our struggle against contractualization. However we will be frank enough to say that our own strength do not match with the two (2) Telecom Titans to give lives and blood to this DECISION we call as an opportunity to combat contractualization and capitalists grand scheme in trampling the constitutionally guaranteed rights and stepping on against the Order of the highest court of the land.

In this regard, we are appealing before your office to take whatever actions you can take that may help us our demand to stop Digitel/PLDT breaking the laws and court order, that will encourage chaos. This contravene to our President marching line — Tuwid na Daan…

Help us expose the fact that the move towards redundancy and closure is a blind to avoid the responsibility of negotiating with the workers and replace regular workers with contractuals.
• Closure, Integration of operation to PLDT – Redundancy cum (ERP) Retire – Rehire No Way!
• Absorb Digitel employees in the Integration of Digitel Operation to PLDT
• Negotiate CBA with the DEU immediately, without further delay!

Yes to YOUR Support!
 Circulate this information through your networks
 Write a letter in behalf of your organization or union to Mr. John Gokongwei of Digitel/JG Summit – 16th Flr Cybergate Tower 3, Robinson Pioneer Complex, Pioneer St. Mandaluyong City Phils., and Mr. Manny Pangilinan of PLDT at Ramon Cojuangco Building,Makati Avenue corner Ayala Avenue,Makati City,Philippines, Hon. Rosalinda Baldoz – DOLE Secretary Muralla St. corner Juan Luna St., Hon. Cong Sonny Belmonte – Speaker of the House of Representative, Batasan Compound : Digitel Employees Union (DEU) and Communication Workers of the Philippines (CWP) at # 22 Libertad St. Mandaluyong City.
 Hear us Out – Organize forums and we will come and speak whether in person or virtually (through skype or phone-patch)

 Support – We are also in need of support – financial, materials and moral support as well.

In Solidarity,
ALAN LICARDO
DEU – President

Contact persons: For DEU – Alan Licardo – President – 09225375689 and Fritz Azuelo – VP – 09225342986
: For MAKABAYAN Sect.- Tony Reyes -09237044885 and Joy Tacadena
Email – makabayan2003@yahoo.com or 2003makabayan@gmail.com
Blogsite: http://digitelemployeesunion.wordpress.com/

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