With the management of Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI), parent company of the Ceres bus liner, seeking a temporary restraining order against former company chief Leo Rey Yanson, a video depicting an attempt at a “fake strike” was presented before Judge Eduardo Sayson of the Bacolod Regional Trial Court-Branch 53.
The VTI Board of Directors earlier accused the former president of coordinating with “cohorts” to cause disruption to company operations.
Four Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (PACIWU-TUCP) officials were recently accused of attempting to launch a “fake strike” against VTI. According to reports, the officials in question were identified as PACIWU-TUCP Executive Vice President Rey dela Torre, Board Members Juvy Diama and Raymond Roldan, and Chapter President Franny Santarin.
“We had previously appealed to Leo Rey to desist from forcing employees to defy new management’s actions to the extent of directing them to go on strike or demean us through posters of sympathy for him and his group,” the board said in a statement. “He has even asked union officers to feign a strike by paying-off employees to do nothing and pretend that a strike is taking place when there is and continues to be no reason for doing so.”
The video, taken by bus conductor Joelito Sumaque at the Ceres Bus Liner North Terminal, depicts PACIWU-TUCP officials and associates coercing bus drivers to stop working and urging them to band together in order to make it appear that a strike was about to take place.
After meeting resistance from employees, the demonstration never happened.
“The video says it all,” stated Atty. Sigfrid Fortun, legal counsel for the Yanson siblings, who control the Board of Directors.
The next scheduled hearing is set for Friday, July 26./WDJ