By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 12th October 2006
TEN of the 13 Filipinos, who quit their Dana Mall jobs three months ago claiming they were “too overworked”, have reportedly returned to work.
Only three of the workers, waitress Ludy Lyn Fernandes, cashier Dana Cruz and chef Rolando De Guzman, are left to fight the labour case they filed in July, citing unpaid salaries ranging from BD500 to BD1,900.
Six of them withdrew their complaints and went back to work, shortly after the original 13 filed the case at the Labour Ministry.
Late last month, cinema attendant Shella Sangalang, returned to work and last week, waitresses Rhea Jaena and Jane Talagtag and cashier Cynthia Urdino took their old jobs back.
By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 12th October 2006
TEN of the 13 Filipinos, who quit their Dana Mall jobs three months ago claiming they were “too overworked”, have reportedly returned to work.
Only three of the workers, waitress Ludy Lyn Fernandes, cashier Dana Cruz and chef Rolando De Guzman, are left to fight the labour case they filed in July, citing unpaid salaries ranging from BD500 to BD1,900.
Six of them withdrew their complaints and went back to work, shortly after the original 13 filed the case at the Labour Ministry.
Late last month, cinema attendant Shella Sangalang, returned to work and last week, waitresses Rhea Jaena and Jane Talagtag and cashier Cynthia Urdino took their old jobs back.
“I don’t understand why they returned to work,” said Mr De Guzman.
“We all said that we would fight for our rights. But I’m very disappointed as they have just gone back to work like that.
“We were the ones wronged, and now by going back to work – they are making us look bad.”
A Philippine Embassy spokesman confirmed that three more workers had returned to work and had reportedly signed documents stating that they no longer had any complaints against their employer.
They have also returned to their company accommodation in Karbabad, said sources.
The workers were evicted last month from their flats by the mall. But the embassy said that the remaining workers still had a case worth fighting for.
“If some of the workers felt they had to go back (to work), then we cannot stop them,” said the spokesman.
“But there are still these three workers who want to go ahead with the case and it is the embassy’s job to back them up.”
The workers have hired a Bahraini lawyer to take on their case and a court hearing is yet to be announced.
Ms Cruz and Ms Fernandes are currently staying with friends, while Mr De Guzman is staying at the embassy’s shelter in Zinj.
Mall owner Ahmed Al Arian is out of the country and was unavailable for comment yesterday. He had told the GDN at the start of the case that he and his lawyers were doing everything according to the law.
© Gulf Daily News