Sofitel union workers demand management for an agreement to guarantee their employment and recognize the union if it reopens in the future. Jekki Pascual, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Five days before the closure of the Sofitel Philippine Plaza hotel, the National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant and Allied Industries (NUWHRAIN) on Tuesday urged the management of Sofitel Philippine Plaza to sign an agreement on guaranteed employment if the hotel reopens.

• Sofitel Philippine Plaza to close by July 

NUWHRAIN, which consists of the rank and file and supervisors' unions of Sofitel, held a media briefing to demand that current employees of the hotel should be rehired if the hotel reopens. 

NUWHRAIN Deputy Secretary General Marco Gojol said the management should recognize the seniority and tenure of workers and validity of the labor union. 

He added than 60 to 70 percent of the 500 regular employees have so far declined the separation pay. 

“Kung kayo ay mag close temporarily, yung mga manggagawa ay willing maghintay. Pero huwag tanggalin sa trabaho. Kung ito ay magiging kalahating taon, isang taon, one and a half year, or even two years, willing maghintay ang mga manggagawa. Hindi kami mag-demand ng continuous na sahod,” said Gojol. 

(If the hotel closes temporarily, the employees are willing to wait. Don’t retrench them. If closure is half a year, one year, one and a half year, or even two year, workers are willing to wait. We will not even demand for continuous pay.)

 Several labor union from various big hotels in the country also joined the press conference to show their solidarity with Sofitel employees, which are 1,200 in total including about 700 contractual workers. 

PHOTO: Sofitel workers continue protest, claim union-busting

UNION BUSTING?

Gojol said the management has not responded to them on their demand, but only hinted in media interviews that it is open to rehiring the employees. 

But for the union, employees should remain as employees during what they believe is a temporary closure. They are not asking for salary or benefits during the closure, but a guaranteed job once hotel opens again. 

The group said it feels that the closure is just a form of union busting. 

Gojol said, “Malinaw sa amin union busting ito. Kasi gusto mo lang mawala pagiging regular ng mga empleyado, gusto mong mawala ang union diyan at yung kontrata mo sa kanila.” 

(This is clearly union busting. If you want to remove the regular employees and the union and their contract with the hotel.) 

Labor group leader Sentro secretary general Josua Mata also said that if proven to be true that this is a form of union busting, it will have an impact on investments in the country as it shows, he says, of the poor labor conditions in the Philippines. 

“The moment the Department of Labor allows Sofitel to bust the union, obviously this will add up to all the stories, all the issues that would show that the Philippines is truly not respectful of freedom of association… Continuing, intensifying labor rights violations could actually affect the investments,” Mata said.

• Soon-to-be displaced workers of Sofitel urge management to retain their jobs

 Though they recognize the efforts of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), Gojol also urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to act swiftly on the matter.

 “Kung yung DOLE ay nakikita talaga ito na seryosong problema ng mga manggagawa, dapat mas seryosong intervention.”

• DOLE seeks clarification on Sofitel closure

 Sofitel has not responded when asked for a comment on the issue, but in previous statements, the hotel chain Accor, operator of Sofitel, said Sofitel Philippine Plaza will cease operation starting July 1, 2024. 

The hotel management also cited safety issues due to the old age of the building.

 Several jobs fair were also held for the would-be displaced workers.

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