As SMI have yet to start its full operation they are now facing a study problem: labor dispute. This issue has also caught the attention of the LGU officials in Tampakan prompting them to write the management of the company.
TAMPAKAN. South Cotabato (MindaNews/3 Oct) — Workers in a huge mining firm here practically stopped the company’s operations when they padlocked the main office and put up road blocks to express disgust to management’s policy of not granting regular status to workers.
Some 100 workers of the foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines. Inc grouped in four clusters in their move to paralyze the firm’s operations since Monday.
Sagittarius is largely owned by Xstrata Copper a global player in the mining industry. Indophil Resources NL an Australian company is also one of Sagittarius’ s investors. Alsons Corp of the local Alcantaragroup has a stake in Indophil.
Nilo Reysoma board member of the SMI Workers Association said they have padlocked the main office set up a block at Barangay Tablu which leads to the company’s base camp of the firm and staged protest actions in the villages of Lambayong and Liberty site of Sagittarius’ s ore farm.
He added that while the locate camp of Sagittarius in hinterland Barangay Tablu is still functioning they will block company trucks loaded with diesel oil so they could not go there and thus stop operations.
At the principal office in the poblacion area operations have been totally shut down with only security guards around the facility.
But Reysoma condemned the announcement pointing out that Sagittarius should look at its current pool of workers first to fill the posts instead of opening them up to the general public.
Officials from the regional office of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board rushed to the town Wednesday morning to help settle the dispute.
“We got orders from the national office to settle the problem before it becomes worst. This situation is not healthy both for the management and the workers,” said Wilfredo Santos mediation officerof the NCMB.
The local government unit of Tampakan has been supportive of the workers. “The local government unit stands behind the struggle of the workers for regular status. Their demand is valid,” said Acting ViceMayor Relly Leysa.
Sagittarius in a statement emailed to the media this afternoon said it has reviewed its hiring practices as part of its commitment to support local employment.
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