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PMI-Bohol Union vows to remain on strike
by MYRNA JOY JAPOS

Union strikers at PMI Colleges Bohol have vowed to continue protesting until the Philippine Maritime Institute (PMI)-Bohol would offer a “lawful employment negotiation” even as they called for reinstatement of dismissed employees.

“The union is willing to keep on striking even until the end of the semester,” Dr. Violeta Dano, treasurer and former spokesperson of the PMI Faculty and Employees Union (FEU) said.

The union strike erupted after a notice of termination of employment was sent to seven employees and faculty members, including Dano, following a court order issued on Dec. 18, 2012.

The court ruled that the PMI FEU strike on August 9, 2010 was illegal, and such was pursued “with a failure to comply with the requisites of a valid strike.”

The court said that the union officers who served and acted during the period of an “illegal” strike were “deemed” to have lost their employment status. The faculty and employees were Dano, Joel Langcamon, Victorino Cabalit, Nelson Estaño, Alberto Plorlacin, Artemio Tambis, and Joseph Nelson Sarabia.

PMI has ceased to recognize the terminated employees as being affiliated to the college.

Dano explained that their rally in front of the PMI building is to call the attention of the management and illicit support from students.

“The management refused to face us. This is also a way to let the students understand what really is happening in the school,” said Dano, adding that the union perceived the termination illegal and unauthorized.

“The management wanted to terminate the core of the union and make the union weak,” Dano said.

Dano claimed that she was not yet an elected officer of the union the time the considered illegal strike took place in 2010. She also added that the PMI management had shown “impropriety” upon handing the notice of termination.

“What the PMI management did was indecent. I was even confined at the hospital the time the notice of termination was sent to me. Can they not wait for me to get well before they would hand me the letter of termination?” said Dano.

Lawyer Maria Evaneliza Cloma-Lucero, PMI’s human resource and development director, said that the management has nothing to explain to the union because “the court decision has said it all.”

“We believe that everything was done legally. It was a decision of the court. If Dr. Dano is claiming that she was not an officer [of the union] during the 2010 strike, she better prove it in court. Why didn’t she rebut this issue the time the case was still tried?” Lucero said.

Dano said the union would appeal the case with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and other higher offices for support and mediation. (MYRNA JOY JAPOS, MASSCOM INTERN)

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lisod ni da...

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Institutions always perceive strikes and the like illegal and without basis... bisan pa valid pa ang ilang concerns, demands or what-have-you. Ang lisod lang - like Balong says - dili sa tanang panahon sakto ang accusations. PMI is not a big time "for profit" institution. Small time tingale unya local pajud. Kung big pharmaceuticals pa ni mas katoohan pang profiteering, hehehe. Pero looy lang pod daghang victima sa layoffs o uban pa. And because most local institutions operate in this level - pinobre - aw, daghan jong alaot from different angles.

I used to join strikes and protests in solidarity with the poor... I dont know what difference I made but helped me developed a heart for the "have nots" and less fortunate among us. Karon lisod na itan-aw from that prism: I've grown old and detached from this way of life. I'm a little sad for myself. Huh!

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