The 80 members of the First Arrastre and Stevedoring Services Employees Union will continue their picket today in front of the First Farmers Holding Corp. in Brgy. Dos Hermanas, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

This was after the negotiation for their reinstatement held at the National Coalition and Mediation Board in Bacolod City yesterday failed, Kilusang Mayo Uno Regional Coordinator, Ian Evidente, said.

Evidente said that, during the negotiation, the representative of FFHC, whose name he did not disclose, said the management of the mill will study the reinstatement of the retrenched workers.

However, he said, there is no need for FFHC to do so anymore because the retrenchment was illegal.

Evidente added that, aside from staging the picket, they will also call

on the public to boycott the sugar products of FFHC.

The stevedores of the sugar and molasses division were retrenched from their jobs, allegedly for no apparent reason, prompting them to file charges before the DOLE office in Bacolod, that was forwarded to the agency's national office in October last year.

Evidente, had said earlier that they are wondering why, until now, the petition for back wages filed by the members of the FASSEU is still pending before the office of Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.*APN

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