DOLE orders unregistered subcontractor in Valenzuela fire to stop operations

Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. 3 has issued a cease and desist order against CJC Manpower Services, the subcontractor of Kentex Manufacturing Corp., for failing to comply with labor laws.

 

"A copy of the cease-and-desist order was furnished the business licensing office of the City of Meycauayan, Bulacan, with a recommendation to cancel the business permit of CJC Manpower Services without prejudice to the filing of appropriate criminal charges against the owner and other responsible officer and personnel,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said after DOLE Regional Director Ana Dione submitted a copy of the order to her.

 

With the issuance of the order, CJC Manpower Services is now "prohibited from recruiting, supplying, and/or deploying workers to companies and employers effective immediately."

 

Baldoz added that the regional office also found that CJC engaged in “labor-only” subcontracting.

 

The DOLE regional office in San Fernando completed a joint assessment of CJC Manpower Services on May 15 and established that the company had been deploying workers to Kentex Manufacturing Corp., the owner of the factory in Valenzuela City where 72 were killed in a fire on May 13.

 

Labor laws compliance officer Dante Regala also found that CJC Manpower Services is not registered as a legitimate contractor in Central Luzon or any other region. Kentex and CJC Manpower did not have a written service agreement and workers it sent to work in the Valenzuela City factory did not have employment contracts either.

 

CJC Manpower was also found to have underpaid workers. It also failed to pay Cost of Living Allowance, and also failed to give workers holiday pay and special holiday premiums.

 

Regala also found that CJC Manpower's workers were not enrolled in the Social Security System, PhilHealth, and Pag-Ibig Fund as required by law. This, despite deductions from their pay. The deductions were not remitted as premiums.

 

The firm also illegally deducted a P100 cash bond from workers every week.

 

Labor safety assessors also found that CJC Manpower failed to comply with documentary requirements like annual work accident/illness exposure data reports and annual medical reports. — JDS, GMA News