[APWSLMembers 450] Nissan persistently defies SC decision, workers stage protest

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

PAMANTIK-KMU
NEWS RELEASE
11 January 2007

Nissan persistently defies SC decision, workers stage protest

"Nissan management persistently defies the Supreme Court decision."

This is the statement declared by more than 140 workers of Nissan 
Motors Phils., Incorporated while still in wait for the 
implementation of the Supreme Court decision.  The workers made the 
statement while staging a picket protest in front of the company 
gates yesterday, January 10, 2007, around 6:30 AM in Barangay Pulong 
Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Nissan Vice-President for Corporate Planning Val de Leon appeared 
before and negotiated with the protesting workers.

"Val de Leon is still in the management's hard position to settle 
only the separation pay of 25 workers," according to Eduardo Alisa, 
union president of Bagong Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Manggagawa sa Nissan 
Motors Phils. , Inc. (BANAL-OLALIA-KMU) after the negotiations.

The workers insisted that 144 should be reinstated back to work as 
per Supreme Court decision promulgated on June 21, 2006.

Alisa added, "We made it clear to de Leon and Nissan management that 
the Supreme Court orders the reinstatement and the payment of accrued 
backwages of 144 workers, not separation pay for 25.  That is 
ridiculously far from the written Supreme Court decision."
&nb sp;
De Leon and the union representatives concluded the brief 
negotiations by scheduling another round of talks on January 22, 2007 
at 3PM to further discuss the SC decision and come up with clear 
commitments for its immediate implementation.

PNP and RSAF "kept watch" of the protest

The workers' protest lasted for an hour.  Motorists experienced heavy 
traffic along roads bound for Nissan Motors and Laguna Technopark 
Incorporated.  Mild tension ensued when combined elements of the 
Philippine National Police (PNP) of Santa Rosa and Regional Special 
Action Forces (RSAF) in full battle gear arrived and attempted to 
disperse the workers.

"The police and military are always used to confront and disperse us 
whenever we exercise our legitimate rights and in our demand to 
implement the Supreme Court decision," according to Rodel Diolata, 
union vice-president.

"We workers are holding a peaceful protest.  Our demand is just and 
we are not violating any law.  If there is somebody who needs to be 
arrested and apprehended for not respecting the law, that should be 
Nissan management which remains disrespectful of the Supreme Court 
decision and withholds justice for the workers," concluded Diolata.###