Duterte Gov’t Orders PLDT To Regularize 9,000 Employees, Pay P77.5-M Monetary Claims
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under the
administration of President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, July 20 ordered
telecommunications giant PLDT Inc. to regularize nearly 9,000 workers.
In a statement, the department said it issued a compliance
order to PLDT and its manpower contractors to immediately regularize 8,720
employees.
The order directed PLDT to immediately issue appointment
letters and payroll reflecting the entitlements of the affected workers as
regular employees.
Nearly 9,000 employees under contracting and sub-contracting
arrangements were doing jobs directly related to PLDT's business, the labor
department said.
“PLDT and its contractors have been violating labor standards
and they failed to refute the findings on the labor-only contracting
activities. These employees must be regularized and entitled to security of
tenure,” said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.
DOLE also ordered PLDT and its 47 contractors to pay the
monetary claims of 2,500 contractual employees on overtime pay, holiday pay,
13th month pay, service incentive leave pay, and unauthorized deductions
amounting to P77.5 million.
“We are reviewing the order, which is still subject to
appeal, in consultation with our lawyers,” said PLDT public affairs head Ramon
Isberto.
Some of the labor violations cited in the DOLE order include
non-compliance with Department Order No. 18-A as only 40 out of the 91 PLDT
contractors were registered with the department while others were either
unregistered or with expired registrations.
The DOLE said 35 of the PLDT contractors did not have substantial capital as the employees use the principal’s equipment and tools in doing the outsourced services.
“Other findings include non-compliance with the Occupational
Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) as the company’s contractors lack personal
protective equipment such as harness, hard hat, safety shoes, and warning
devices; lack of trained safety personnel, OSH nurse, trained first-aider and
DOLE accredited practitioner; non-presentation of OSH policies, and
non-submission of OSHS administrative reports,” the department said.
“However, PLDT was found to be compliant with general labor
standards as it provides benefits to its organic employees more than what the
law requires,” it added.
Sources: GMA News, ANC
Sources: GMA News, ANC
Duterte Gov’t Orders PLDT To Regularize 9,000 Employees, Pay P77.5-M Monetary Claims
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July 29, 2017
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