SunStar: Mindanao bus firm faces closure threat

After extortion-related bombings briefly paralyzed a bus firm operating in Mindanao, another Mindanao-based bus company faces the prospect of closure, this time from its own workers. Sun Star Davao reported Saturday that Yellow Bus Line Inc. may see its operations disrupted after its workers filed a notice of strike with the Labor Department. Yellow Bus, the largest bus company plying the key cities of Davao, General Santos, and Koronadal in Mindanao, is now in negotiations with the union to avert the strike. For decades, the bus firm owned by the Yap family has dominated the avao-GenSan-Koronadal route with its more than 50 units operating daily. National Conciliation and Mediation Board Central Mindanao director Tomas Biboso said Yellow Bus’ union bloc cited dissatisfaction with the management in planning the strike. “The workers accused the management of unfair labor practices arising from the suspension of one or two labor union officials. Negotiations are still on going to avert a strike scenario," he said. Biboso said the firm’s management and labor union leaders met with him on Tuesday to discuss the grievance. He said a “positive development had taken place" but would not elaborate. However, he appealed to the bus management and labor union to settle their differences internally to avoid discomforting the riding public. Should the workers push through with their plan to hold a strike, thousands of passengers are expected to be stranded even with the operation of vans and rival bus companies. Under the law, the notice shall last for 30 days, after which there will be a strike balloting where union members will vote if they will go on strike, Biboso said. - GMANews.TV