“SUMIFRU’s actions are downright disrespectful of the union.”
By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Decrying their Japanese employers’ seeming bias for a yellow federation, which the workers have kicked out of their union last month, port workers of AJMR Sumifru Port Corporation held a picket-protest yesterday at the company’s wharf in Davao City.
Wearing red armbands, around 50 workers of Sumifru’s cold storage unit under the union AJMR Labor Union-Association of Democratic Labor Organizations – Kilusang Mayo Uno (AJMRLU-ADLO-KMU) asked Sumifru to stop what they call as dilatory tactics, and present its counter-proposal immediately to set the negotiations in motion.
Sumifru is tasked by law to present its counterproposal to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) proposal of the certified union within 10 days.
By the time the port workers held a picket, they have waited more than 40 days, to no avail.
“Judging by Sumifru’s actions, we could not help but conclude that there is intent to refuse to bargain with us,” said Rene Diamora, union president of AJMR Labor Union.
Management interference on union affairs hindering CBA negotiations
Based on the statement of the AJMR union, Sumifru is taking action against the workers’ decision to eschew its former federation, the “yellow federation” Southern Philippines Federation of Labor (SPFL). The union disaffiliated from SPFL on August 6. More than a month later, it formally affiliated with the Association of Democratic Labor Organization (ADLO), a federation of progressive labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) from which the union has apparently sought advice and support for the last three years.
The KMU has been espousing “genuine trade unionism,” a mode of union struggle opposite that of what they call as pro-capitalist yellow unionism.
Last month, Sept. 14, the union submitted a CBA proposal to Sumifry. But after a month, on October 9, Sumifru, through its executive officer Deogracias Mocam, questioned ADLO-KMU’s standing in representing the union in negotiations.
Diamora noted that it was followed by “a vilification campaign against KMU” in the port. He said it is meant to stall CBA negotiations.
“SUMIFRU’s actions are downright disrespectful of the union,” Diamora said.
The AJMR union in Sumifru voted through a general assembly to change their federation, in the hope that they could wage a good CBA, one which they hope would benefit workers through a wage increase, improved benefits and tenure.
The union is proposing wage increases for regular rank and file workers amounting to P2,000 per month for the first year; P1,500 increase per month for the second year; and P1,500 increase per month for the third year, on top of some leave and other benefits.
Sumifru is a subsidiary of multinational company Sumitomo Corp. Its website says it is supplying 30 percent of Japan’s banana consumption; it also exports fruits to China, New Zealand and the Middle East.
It started operation in the Philippines by opening its first banana plantations in Mindanao in the 70s, during Martial Law.
Sumifru’s bad record with unions
Instead of facing its union in a CBA negotiation, Sumifru appears bent on fighting the union. Diamora revealed that some of Sumifru management’s current maneuvers, such as the reports that it has been calling on the union’s individual members and instructing them to withdraw their support for the union.
Also, Diamora said Sumifru has hired new workers surpassing the operation’s manning requirement. This, he said, suggested a prelude to their replacement at the workplace.
Carlo Olalo, spokesperson of KMU Southern Mindanao, said that Sumifru has a long and notorious history as a union buster and workers’ rights violator.
“Sumifru’s sins against its workers are numerous. It has created a system in the banana plantations where it can escape accountability to the workers by hiding under the mantle of its service providers. It implemented a piece rate wage scheme in the plantations unilaterally and reduced workers’ wages by at least half,” Olalo said.
Vowing their intent to oppose the management “attacks on the union,” Olalo also said Sumifru is violating the AJMR union’s right to organize and collectively bargain under the International Labor Organization Conventions 87 and 98. 
