78 Pinoy sewers in Romania opt to end ordeal

MANILA, Philippines - Seventy-eight Filipino sewers in Bucharest,Romania were set to be flown back to the Philippines on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said.

In a statement posted on the OWWA website, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the government was forced to repatriate the workers due to the failure of their employer to fulfill its obligations.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said he has ordered OWWA to repatriate and assist the sewers in filing the appropriate case in a Romanian court against their employer, SC Monodstar, SA.

The workers accused the company of contract substitution and feeding the OFWs “unsatisfactory food."

As gathered by the OWWA, the OFWs complainted that upon arriving at their work site, their employer made them sign a contract that was “inferior" to the one approved by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

The POEA contract assured the sewers a monthly salary of $400 or about P19,000 while the new contract would only give them $250 or about P12,000.

Moreover, they had to meet a daily quota of 400 pairs of trousers or pants for women and 300 jackets for the clothing apparel, which OWWA said was “unrealistically high."

Since they could not meet the daily quota, it said the factory’s management resorted to paying the sewers on a piece rate basis, effectively reducing their take-home pay to $171 to $176 or about P8,000 for those making trousers and $155 to $165 or about P7,500 for those producing jackets.

Also, OWWA said the food that the company served the Filipino workers was “unpalatable" rice and a dish that never varied. They also were repeatedly served vegetable salad and soup that were previously served.

The statement said the Philippine Embassy in Bucharest temporarily housed the sewers within Embassy premises since they were released by Mondostar on October 1 after they filed letters of resignation on September 11.

On October 9, the Romanian lawyer hired by OWWA filed the case against the employer in a court in Sibiu, the city northwest of Bucharest where the company is located.

Through the case, the sewers hope to be paid all the unsettled debts, including their overtime pay, recovery of the travel expenses to and from Bucharest, and payment of the unexpired portion of their two-year contract consisting of 19 months.

The Romanian lawyer will also try to convince the court to compel the employer to return the excessive placement fees charged by Eastwind International, the Philippine recruitment agency of the sewers. - Kimberly Jane Tan, GMANews.TV

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