Previous Story
Labor: Some 100 workers repatriated already
|
Posted on May 13 2005
The Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Labor have repatriated some 100 of the over 1,000 garment workers—mostly Chinese—who were displaced as a result of factory closures.
Labor Secretary Joaquin Tenorio said the repatriation of the workers was facilitated through a partnership with private travel agencies, which allowed the department to utilize empty seats on charter flights to China at reduced rates.
Also instrumental in streamlining the repatriation process was the department’s collaboration with other signatories in a memorandum of agreement that encourages the sharing of information about the garment industry.
These agencies are the AGO, Federal Ombudsman’s Office, Garment Oversight Board, and the Chinese Economic Development Association.
“This collaboration has resulted in the development of streamlined procedures in promptly repatriating those workers desiring to return to their home countries,” Tenorio said.
The department, he added, was aggressively pursuing reimbursement from employers and their respective bonding companies for tickets purchased by the CNMI from government repatriation fund.
At least 1,082 workers lost their jobs as three garment manufacturers ceased operations this year. The three companies are Sako Corp., Mariana Fashions Inc., and La Mode (Saipan) Inc.
Tenorio said the department had anticipated various problems to result from the displacement of garment workers.
“Some workers will use the system in order to prolong their stay, such as by filing questionable complaints. Others may attempt to find ‘sponsor’ employers who will appear to be the employer on paper, but in fact will not provide work or supervision over the ‘employee,” allowing to worker to be—essentially —self-employed.
“Employers may cease operations and abandon workers without providing repatriation, and bonding companies may not have the financial resources to repatriate large number of workers. It is forecasted that numbers of unpaid wage claims will rise, Ultimately, the department will be left with the task of sorting out these problems by investigating the allegations brought by workers and proceeding through the hearing process,” Tenorio said.
