Dole orders Jollibee to regularize 6,482 workers

THE Department of Labor and Employment has ordered Jollibee Foods Corp. to regularize 6,482 workers deployed by its two contractors.

In a statement Wednesday, Dole director Henry John Jalbuena said he has also directed the Filipino fast food giant to refund illegally collected payments to 426 affected workers in the amount of P15.43 million for Coop Share, Coop Christmas Party Paluwagan Fund, and Coop Savings Fund.

The labor department has earlier issued a compliance order to Burger King, directing it to regularize 704 workers deployed by its three contractors.

The department has also set schedules to inspect McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken to ensure their compliance with labor laws.

Last month, a mandatory conference was conducted by the Dole with the management of Chowking with succeeding dialogues set this month.

Another mandatory conference with the management of Mang Inasal is also set with the Dole.

Likewise, five of Jollibee’s contractors were also ordered to return unlawful wage deductions, bonds, donations, shares and other illegal payment collections to 412 affected workers amounting to P4.13 million.

Leading the list of liable contractors are Citiwide Basic Commodities and Manpower Services, Inc. with a total financial obligation of P1.85 million to 40 workers for refund on cash bond for motorcycle rentals, and unpaid service incentive leaves and holiday pay.

Generation One Resource Service and Multi-Purpose Cooperative was likewise ordered to refund share capital, cooperative shares, membership fees, “damayan” fund, and compensate the unpaid holiday pay earnings of 287 workers with a total of P1.18 million.

Collected cooperative shares and uniform costs were also directed to be returned to 24 workers with a total amount of P440,300 by the Integral Care Formation Service Cooperative while a total of P464,012 was ordered to be refunded to 47 workers of Toptrend Service Corp. for motorcycle rentals.

Jalbuena said the order also accounts MetroGuards Security Agency Corp. to return donations and reimburse unpaid holiday pay earnings of 14 workers amounting to P199,905. (pna)