Ex-workers raise labor issues vs giant bus firm

This Vallacar Transit terminal for its popular Ceres buses in Barangay Camalig, Jaro, Iloilo City is the biggest in Panay Island. Labor issues are further complicating the leadership tug-of-war at Vallacar Transit, the country’s biggest transport company. Disgruntled company workers raised several issues that included payroll deductions, among others. IAN PAUL CORDERO
This Vallacar Transit terminal for its popular Ceres buses in Barangay Camalig, Jaro, Iloilo City is the biggest in Panay Island. Panay News Photo.

ILOILO City – Labor issues are further complicating the leadership tug-of-war at the Bacolod City-based Vallacar Transit, the country’s biggest transport company that operates the popular Ceres buses.

Disgruntled company workers raised several issues yesterday. These included payroll deductions, “unjust” separation pay, “illegal” dismissal, workers being pressured to do “voluntary” resignation, and non-disclosure of collective bargaining agreement.

Backed by the progressive labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, these former workers called for a press conference yesterday at Gonzaga Hall of Central Philippine University and urged the Vallacar management to address their concerns.

One came forward and articulated his colleagues’ concern. Rolens Villegas, conductor for six years of a Ceres bus plying the Iloilo City-Carles, Iloilo route, demanded that the company reimburse their “line cash advance.”

This is actually money taken from their daily collection for meals, said Villegas, and this is deducted from their salaries.

“Kon naghambal dayun ang management nga bayran man lang ang ginakuha para sa meal allowance, kontani nagbalon na lang kami para wala na deduction,” said Villegas who resigned last year.

He also wondered why this deduction is termed “line cash advance” in their pay slips and not “meal allowance.”

Gil Tabares, president of Vallacar’s displaced workers numbering about 60, said another deduction in their salary is the P100 “death contribution.”

“Pero wala sila sang may ginapakita sa amon nga death certificate kon sin-o nga empleyado ang napatay. Nakabutang lang sa amon payslip ‘death contribution,’” he said.

Tabares said drivers are also being unreasonably required to wash their bus units.

“Ti, mabiyahe kami 2 a.m. Mag 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. kapoy na kami, mabasa pa kami sang tubig,” he said.

Another former bus driver, Rommel Jardeleza, claimed they were being obliged to pay for the damage their buses sustained from road mishaps.

In his case, said Jardeleza who was a driver at Vallacar for six years before he resigned, he was made to shoulder 50 percent of the estimated P188,000 damage that his bus incurred from an accident.

He eventually resigned, said Jardeleza, without receiving benefits.

“Ibalik nila ang ginkuha nila sa amon,” said Villegas.

The Vallacar Transit management could not be reached for comment as of this writing./PN

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