Nababahala ang Associated Labor Unions (ALU) na maraming matatanggal na manggagawa sa tabakuhan at mababawasan ang oras ng pagtatrabaho sa mga pabrika ng sigarilyo kasunod ng paglulunsad ng Department of Health (DOH) ng kampanya laban sa paninigarilyo sa buong bansa.
Ayon sa National Tobacco Administration (NTA), mayroong 44,000 magsasaka sa tabakuhan at 1.56 milyong manggagawa ang umaasa sa industriya ng tabako.
“Feeling the pinch of the smoking ban, tobacco employers have started reducing work hours and reducing their work force. Unionized tobacco workers are retained by their employers but those who are non-union members were retrenched due to low demand for cigar and cigarettes,” pahayag ni Alan Tanjusay, tagapagsalita ng ALU.
Aniya maaari pa ring magbawas ng mga empleyado at oras ng pagtatrabaho ang mga employer sa mga susunod na araw kung magpapatuloy ito.
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“We urge the government to consider the formation of tripartite dialogue mechanism that would figure out ways to save jobs and help affected workers to transition. Most of tobacco workers are more than 40 years old and many are women.
Many are also husband and wives working in the same factory. A transition mechanism and system is indeed necessary for these workers,” dagdag pa ni Tanjusay. (Mina Navarro)
