PRESS STATEMENT
>
> February 25, 2005, Friday
>
>
>
> Reference: ULWU-CATLU Media Bureau
>
> azucarrera@yahoo.com
>
> RICARDO RAMOS,
>
> President, Central Azucarera De Tarlac Labor Union
> [CATLU]
>
> Contact #: 0921-796-1921
>
>
>
> Union busting, threats of closure of sugar mill
> blamed
> for breakdown of talks to settle Luisita labor
> dispute
>
>
>
> The negotiations to resolve the
> controversial labor dispute in Hacienda Luisita
> bogged-down yesterday because of management’s
> refusal to reinstate the 35 officers of the Central
> Azucarera Labor Union [CATLU] and the 73 officers
> and members of the United Luisita Workers Union.
>
> To show goodwill and sincerity CATLU and
> ULWU have drastically lowered their wage, benefits
and other economic demands since direct negotiations
with management started last January 28 yet management
has not budged an inch from its position which is
based on the January 14 DOLE decision.
>
> Management stubbornly refuses to come to
> terms with our legitimate demands because it wants
> our unions dismantled. Management also resorts to
> the empty threat of closing the sugar mill in order
> to evade its reponsibilities and deprive us of our
> just wages, benefits and sole means of livelihood.
>
> CATLU lowered its original demand of
> P150/day wage increase to only P32 as of yesterday,
> February 24, while ULWU has lowered its wage
> increase demand from P60 to only P20 for all types
> of workers. CATLU have also offered much reduced
> proposals on gratuity pay—from two [2] months to
> 1.25 months--and the signing bonus—from P30,000 to
> P18,000.
>
> On the other hand, management insisted that it can
> only abide by the DOLE decision which calls for P15
> wage increase over a period of two years and a
> signing bonus of P12,500.
>
> Management has also offered that it can only
> reinstate 17 of the 35 CATLU officers and that it
> will have the prerogative to choose who among the
> officers will not be reinstated. It has also offered
> to reinstate all the 73 ULWU officers and members
> but they will be rehired as casual employees.
>
> From the start, we have made it clear that the
> termination of union officers and members is unjust
> and illegal and is tantamount to union busting.
> Management’s offer on the reinstatement is unjust,
> unfair and is designed to behead our unions.
>
> We cannot allow our unions to die. Our
> termination is a direct result of the strike. It
> violates the Labor Code and it is illegal.
>
> Aside from wrecking the unions, management
> also wants to evade its responsibility to the
> workers by threatening to close the sugar mill.>
>
> The so-called plan to close the sugar mill
> is an empty threat. It is aimed at depriving the
> workers of their wages, benefits and sole means of
> livelihood. It is a worn-out tactic of factory
> owners to sell or change the name of their business,
> rehire new and old workers, and thus evade their
> responsibilities to the present work force.
>
> But management will once again fail in
> this devious plan. We will continue with the strike
> until the company finally sees the light of day and
> comes to terms with our legitimate demands. Our
> picket line is our source of bargaining stength and
> the guarantee that the strike will be resolved in
> mutually acceptable terms.
>
> Hacienda Luisita management and leaders of
> the striking unions have negotiated directly six
> times since January 28 to settle the three-month old
> labor dispute. The meetings are being facilitated by
> Bishop Florentino Cinense and Bishop Paciano Aniceto
> of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the
> Philippines, Tarlac Gov. Jose Yap and other local
> government officials.

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