BSI pledges assistance to affected employees

Best Sunshine International, Ltd. is hoping for a resolution to the ongoing contract worker crisis brought about by the CW1 worker quota reaching its 12,999 cap for fiscal year 2016.

BSI, one of the largest private sector employers in the CNMI, also acknowledged that its ability to move forward with its $7.1 billion integrated resort project on Saipan would be impacted heavily without access to much-needed workers.

Due to this, BSI pledged to provide necessary assistance to its affected workers whose CW1 visas are to expire this month (June) and to the other CW1 visa holders who are facing a similar threat in the immediate future.

BSI’s management team, under the leadership of chief executive officer Mark A. Brown, held a meeting with CW employees with impending visa expirations and employees whose renewal applications did not make the May 5, 2016 CW1 visa cap.

BSI assured the affected contract workers that, if they agree, they will be rehired once their CW1 applications are approved.

Those who still have a few more months remaining before their contract expires were given an option to apply for paroles. BSI underscored the importance that parole application is part of the company’s effort in exploring more ways to allow CW employees, if approved, to stay while waiting for the CW1 CNMI-only Transitional Worker petitions to effectuate in October and go into the new cap count. 

However, BSI said there is no guarantee that these parole applications will be approved, acknowledging more hardship to the contract workers.

The employees whose contracts are expiring in June are asking for a renegotiation with the company that BSI should pay all CWs affected throughout the completion of their contracts.

Vincent Mascio, BSI senior executive VP of Operations, said, “I will bring up everything you’re telling me and relay it to our Hong Kong office. I feel for you. Of course you’re upset, and the truth is, you deserve to feel that.”

“All I want to do at this point is give you the information you need to know. Because no matter what, after your contract expires, you only have 10 days to leave this island, otherwise you risk future [denial of] CW applications.”

He added, “The company’s urgent concern is to get you out in time and for us to be able to get you back and rehired by the next cycle of CW applications in October.”

Flight arrangements are currently being processed for the safe and timely repatriation of affected workers, majority of which are from the Philippines.

BSI hopes that the forthcoming June 6 Covenant 902 talks between the CNMI and the federal government will bode well for the Commonwealth in light of the contract worker crisis.

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres told local media before his departure to the forthcoming 902 talks with President Obama’s special representative that one of the crucial issues on the table is “of incredible significance to the people of the CNMI: the current CW situation.”