Yanson Group workers file notice of strike

BACOLOD CITY—The labor union of the largest bus company in the country has filed a notice of strike, claiming that the ongoing dispute among the owners affected the release of workers’ benefits and pay.

The Philippine Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Workers Union-Trade Union of Congress of the Philippines (Paciwu-TUCP) lodged the notice against Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) in the National Conciliation and Mediation Board on Wednesday.

More than 6,000 workers of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies in the Visayas are members of Paciwu-TUCP, said its national president, Hernani Braza.

He claimed that the workforce had been affected by the squabble among members of the Yanson family over control of the company.

Franny Santarin, chapter president of the labor group, cited the delayed release of retirement pay, separation pay, benefits and union dues of union members since the family feud began.

Four Yanson siblings—Roy, Emily, Celina and Ricky—in a special board meeting on July 7, ousted their brother, Leo Rey Yanson, as president of the Yanson Group of Bus Companies.

Leo Rey, however, has refused to step down, saying his ouster was illegal.

The actions of his four siblings, he said, did not comply with the requirements of the Corporation Code and/or the bylaws of VTI.

Braza said the union staged a peaceful protest on July 14 at the VTI bus terminal in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, to call on the Yansons to settle their dispute.

He said they had filed a notice of strike after they had been caught in the middle of the family dispute.

They will have to wait for a 23-day cooling off period before they can stage a strike throughout the Visayas, Braza said.

He said  strike would affect at least 50 percent of the  bus services in the Visayas .

No amicable settlement was reached in the feud among members of the Yanson family over control of the largest bus firm in the country.

This prompted the court to conduct a full-blown hearing on the petition in a bid to stop Roy and other his fellow corporate officers from taking control of the companies.