Mindanao bus labor union decry new mngt take-over

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent .

Some 7,500 active members of Mindanao Alliance of Land Transport and General Workers Union (MALTU) has denounced the recent takeover of new management of Yanson Group of Bus Company (YGBC) head office in Bacolod City.

In a manifesto signed by MALTU founder and administrator Jose B. Ares and its presidents all over Mindanao comprised of seven branches of Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. (RTMI); Bachelor Express Inc. (BEI) and the Mindanao Star Bus Transport Inc. (MSBTI) said they received disturbing news that a new group of top management has reportedly an attempt to oust Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) President and CEO Leo Rey Yanson and several vice-presidents of the head office.

On Sunday, lawyer Shiela Sison issued a press statement saying that the board of directors of VTI “announces the appointment of Roy V. Yanson as its new company President effective immediately, replacing Leo Rey Yanson who will continue to serve as Director and member of the Board.”

The change in leadership was the result of a special board meeting held Sunday where the board also replaced corporate officers “who will work with the new company President to ensure a smooth transition of the transport firm’s administration.”

“We vehemently condemn the unprecedented move of the new management team as we are the most vulnerable and affected by such irresponsible actions. It will bring us anxiety and confusion because the union is supposed to be the bridge between the management and the workers of YGBC in Mindanao and we are at a loss of what to tell our members, if they would ask us of what was happening on top,” the manifesto stated.

The MALTU leaders admitted that they were dismayed, and scandalized expecting top management to suppose be the models of teamwork and industrial peace, yet the squabble is showed otherwise the values to so called “Work Horse” below.

Union leaders also condemn the takeover of the new management because they long suffered for the past leadership before Leo Rey Yanson .

They claimed that burial of payment benefits, vacation leave, incentives of drivers and conductors and remittances of union dues were delayed that they could have filed cases of Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) and rallied at the terminals and this was attended immediately during the management incumbency of Leo Rey Yanson.

“We the founder-administrator and presidents of MALTU Mindanao express our unqualified and total support to Sir Leo Rey Yanson and his management team who are so kind and so generous to the well-being of the workers in YGBC in Mindanao,” the union leaders pointed out.

MALTU also expressed support to Yanson who worked hard in improving the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and build worker’s facilities in Mindanao offices.

They further claim that they will not stop supporting Yanson until legal issues are cleared out by appropriate court and a court order declaring that the new top management of YGBC is legal.