Gov't urged to sack 16 Chinese experts in NGCP

A labor group claims that the Chinese experts working at the National Grid Corp.of the Philippines have installed fiber optics to the command and control of the entire grid without the appropriate franchise from Congress. 

MANILA, Philippines - The 16 Chinese experts working at the country’s National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) should be replaced by Filipino experts, labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines - Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa) said on Monday.

The foreigners' Alien Employment Permit will expire on July 31.

"We have a very delicate situation rife with national security interest issue where a very critical and a very strategic government facility is in the hands of and controlled by foreigners. We would like to see this corrected as quickly as possible by having the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Labor and Employment ensure the immediate termination of their work permits immediately and not allow it renewed," TUCP-Nagkaisa executive director Louie Corral said.

He said the labor group expects DOE to ensure that operations manual for the NGCP has been translated into English from Chinese in time for the transition.

"It's scandalous and irresponsible for us to have allowed that the NGCP operations manual - the command and control of the entire electricity system - to be hostaged to a foreign language and hostaged to foreign experts," Corral said.

TUCP-Nagkaisa spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said the labor group is also urging the Energy Regulatory Commission and the National Telecommunication Commission to conduct due diligence in the integrity of the entire NGCP transmission system.

"We received a reliable information alleging State Grid of China have installed fiber optics attached to the command and control of the entire grid without the appropriate franchise from the House of Representaives. This poses, we have a serious national security concern given the current state of play of China-Philippine relations," Tanjusay said.

The Philippines and China are now locked in an arbitration before a tribunal at The Hague, Netherlands in connection with West Philippine Sea dispute. - By Dennis Carcamo (philstar.com)

Passage of Typhoon Code Law sought

MANILA, Philippines - Employers would be required to adopt a policy disallowing deduction from salaries of employees unable to report for work during typhoons when a bill seeking a Typhoon Code is passed into law.

Labor unions Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) are asking Congress to immediately pass into law the bill of Diwa Rep. Emmeline Aglipay-Villar.

“We look forward for the immediate approval of the bill because it will enhance workers’ productivity when it becomes a law,” TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said.

KMU said companies not related to saving lives should be prohibited from forcing their workers to report for work during typhoons.

“To simplify things, I think the (rules) in suspension of classes could serve as a gauge when workers could stay home and not report for work,” KMU said.

Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) needs to study the bill before coming out with an official position.

“If this code will cover wages and benefits of workers during typhoons, they are in full conformity with the labor code, in which case I have no objections,” she said.- By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)

Govt urged to prepare contingency plans for Pinoys in Greece

A labor group on Tuesday urged the government to prepare contingency plans for Filipinos who may be affected by Greece's economic crisis, less than a week after the debt-ridden European nation voted no to bailout reform proposals.

"The current events had already resulted in a major decline in the service and tourism industry—hotels, restaurants, cruise ships— where majority of Filipino OFWs are employed," said Louie Corral, executive director of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa (TUCP-Nagkaisa), in a statement.

"Clearly, cash will be tight for Greeks and many do not even know where their next paycheck will come from. What more for our OFWs?" Corral added.

Filipinos were unable to remit their money home last week after Greek banks limited their activities due to capital control. Greek nationals were also limited to €60 per ATM withdrawal.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said on Monday that Filipinos were secure in their jobs despite the economic crisis and that they may still find jobs in other countries should they need new employment.

Despite this, TUCP-Nagkaisa spokesperson Alan Tanjusay called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to create contingency plans to support OFW's to relieve the impact the Greek financial crisis may have on them.

DFA spokesperson Charles Jose said the government is now studying the effects of the Greek referendum on OFW prospects and that it has already advised Filipinos in Greece to prepare for any eventuality.

There is an estimated 61,500 Filipino workers in Greece. Of this, 11,500, mostly domestic helpers, are land-based, while 60,000 are seafarers.

Majority of Greeks voted against an international bailout offer on Sunday, in a move opposition members warned could result in Greece being booted out of the Eurozone. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

Salon worker says celebrity boss fired him due to HIV

Celebrity hairstylist Ricky Reyes (left) faces complaints from a former salon employee and now HIV sufferer, Rene Nocos, who has found supporters among labor groups. ALU

A former employee of a beauty salon chain has come out to accuse celebrity hairstylist and makeup artist Ricky Reyes of firing him because he had tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Rene Nocos, 47, filed in March last year a complaint against Reyes for discrimination, unlawful termination and nonpayment of benefits in the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

On Wednesday, Nocos went more public about his case in a press conference held by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and the Associated Labor Unions (ALU).

“I have committed wrong choices in the past and suffered heavily for it. My entire family has disowned me. My friends have abandoned me. My coworkers have condemned me,’’ he said.

“Despite all these, I need my life back. But I can’t rebuild my life because I was laid off from my job just because I have HIV. I want to put the pieces back together but my employer, Ricky Reyes, denied me of my social protection through SSS (Social Security System) and PhilHealth.”

Nocos said he tried to avail himself of free outpatient HIV/AIDS treatment through PhilHealth, “but I discovered only last year that my employer was not making any payment at all. So I confronted him (Reyes). He then fired me after learning that I have HIV right there and then.”

Fired on Feb. 28, 2014, Nocos filed a complaint in the NLRC three days later against Reyes and Tonette Moreno, vice president of Ricky Superstyle Color Salon.

But in a press statement on Wednesday, Ricky Reyes Corp. gave a different version of the events leading to Nocos’ unemployment and maintained that discrimination had nothing to do with it.

“Based on our records, Nocos became ill in 2013. The company allowed him to go on sick leave, paying him his monthly salary in full. This went on for six months,’’ the company said, without specifying the illness.

Nocos later “recuperated from his sickness” and presented to the head office a medical certificate stating he was fit to work again, it recalled. “So the head office assigned him to a salon branch on España, Manila. But after some time, his illness recurred and he again went on sick leave for three months, with full payment of his salary.”

He was soon working again at the España salon but “his illness was on and off and, sad to say, the salon was not doing good… so management decided to close shop.’’

The affected employees were told to wait as management worked out their relocation to other branches. At this point, “it was best for Nocos to recuperate and have complete rest until such time we could hire him again,” the company said.

“But Nocos demanded to still have his salary in full, [a demand] which management declined. The company waited for him to report back [but] he never did.”

According to the company, the case was unprecedented in the 40-year operations of the Ricky Reyes Group Of Companies. “With the highest degree of respect for persons, we will not allow acts of discrimination, whether from the management or the rank and file.”

At the press conference, ALU policy advocacy officer Alan Tanjusay said they would request the Department of Labor and Employment to conduct an inspection and assessment of all salon outlets owned by Reyes and Moreno for compliance with labor and wage laws.

“We are appealing to the NLRC, SSS and PhilHealth to render as quickly as possible their judgment on the case filed by Rene. The justice rendered by these institutions is very important in Rene’s struggle to move on. There is no closure and there is no new beginning for him if there is injustice.’’ said ALU executive vice president Gerard Seno. - Philippine Daily Inquirer