28 FORMER GASOLINE STATION EMPLOYEES REDEEM 713k WORTH OF MONETARY CLAIMS THRU DOLE BATANGAS’ SENA

For the twenty-eight (28) former employees of a gasoline station, this year’s Valentine’s Day marked a sweet victory as they received their monetary claims for the underpayment of salary and non-payment of wage-related benefits during a settlement at the Department of Labor and Employment IV-A - Batangas Provincial Office, February 14.

According to one of the workers who served the company for eight years, the non-payment of the monetary benefits for years prompted them to file a request for assistance against the gasoline station.

“Wala po kasi sa tama. Gawa po kasi na hinihingi lang po namin kapag pasko ay bonus sa halip po na tumaas binaba pa n’ya kaya po kami napadpad dito. Kung ginawa nya po ay pinantay lang nya wala ho sanang nangyaring ganto. Matagal na rin po naming nire-request yun  kahit 13th month lang matikman namin ng ayos,” he remarked.

After filing onsite through the designated kiosk of DOLE Batangas of their request for assistance under the Single-Entry Approach (SEnA) program online portal, Ms. Ann Jelyn Natividad, Labor Relations Focal Person validated the concern and scheduled SEnA conferences between the parties.

Culminating the series of conferences, the parties finally reached an amicable settlement in which the workers claimed a total of Php 713, 773.00 inclusive of all the monetary claims for the 28 workers who previously worked as cashiers and pump attendants of the company.

With utmost appreciation, the worker signified his sincere appreciation for the service rendered under the SEnA, a program that seeks to prevent labor disputes before becoming full-blown cases.

“Maraming salamat kay Ma’am Ann Jelyn  sa pag-assist sa amin at sa DOLE, maraming salamat  din po,” he stated.

As for their assigned SEnA desk officer, Ms. Natividad remarked, “Masaya po akong umuwi silang nakangiti sa mismong araw ng mga puso." 

For labor and employment-related concerns, the DOLE provides the SEnA as an accessible conciliation and mediation program for kasambahay/family drivers, groups of workers, whether local or overseas, or a union, workers association or federation, and employers.