The Labor Union of Tanduay Employees in Murcia filed a notice of strike yesterday before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board to dramatize their protest against alleged repressive measures imposed by the management of Tanduay Distillers Inc.–Bacolod.

LUTE, headed by Teofilo Agravante, includes rank-and-file workers as its members, now only numbering 42 from 80 because the management “flagrantly and maliciously ruined” their ranks, he said.

In their notice, the union cited unfair labor practice, particularly discrimination, by giving wage increase only to non-union members and by giving overtime work only to non-union members, harassment of union members and officers, and enticing union members to apply for early retirement.

Reynaldo Gulmatico, counsel for TDI-Bacolod, however, brushed aside such claims. He said only monthly-paid employees, who are non-union members, were given a salary increase, and not the daily-paid workers, including Agravante, who has a pending case against the management filed before the National Labor Relations Commission. He also said it was dismissed by both the Bacolod and the Cebu offices of the agency and by the Court of Appeals.

The decision is now being questioned by the labor union before the Supreme Court.

Gulmatico said the issues raised by LUTE in their notice of strike are same grounds they cited in the pending case.

Maybe they are forum-shopping, he said, adding that he should not actually be discussing the case as it might be sub judice.

Moreover, allowing employees to render overtime work is a management prerogative, Gulmatico said.

He also denied the claim of the labor union that the management is enticing union members to apply for early retirement.

Agravante said their group has received support from labor groups such as Partido ng Manggagawa, Democratic Alliance of Labor Organizations, and NAFLU-Kilusang Mayo Uno.*NLG

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