Mine Workers' Leaders in Philippines Still Off Jobs

Leaders and activists of the unaffiliated Lepanto Employees Union in the Philippines are still off work at Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co.’s gold operations in Benquet province. The trade unionists were sacked for continuing an allegedly illegal strike. The country’s Department of Labor and Employment stepped in last week to resolve the pay dispute that has lingered since last November for 1,700 miners, but made no provisions to reinstate the leaders. Workers struck legally on 4 June, but the labour agency issued a back-to-work order on 8 June. Many of the miners are remaining off jobsites in sympathy with the discharged leaders. The company says it will attempt to reach full production using supervisors and contract workers.