BAGUIO CITY — Some 500 factory workers here are facing retrenchment in January next year as the Texas Instruments (TI) submitted its proposal to the labor department recently.

Qouting TI’s letter, Department of Laboer and Employment (DoLE) Regional Director Ana Dione said the financial crisis is getting its toll among Filipino workers. “The company cited that majority of its market outlets are in the US, which is into deep recession,” Dione told the press shortly after the media forum “Shoe on the Other Foot” at the city hall Tuesday.

TI still employs some 2,400 despite retrenchment, although around 100 would be redeployed to its Pampanga branch, according to Dione. Labor laws allow the transfer of employees, she added.

On the other hand, call centers are still on a hiring mood, said Dione, citing two large Baguio-based companies are even expanding. These have more than 2,000 in their workforce, she said.

Meanwhile, the labor department enjoins workers to report the non-compliance by their employers of the payment of 13th month pay. Employers are mandated by law to give each employee 13th month pay or bonuses on or before December 24.

By January 15, a non-compliance may be declared and DoLE may order employers to comply. Nevertheless, Dione advises employers to talk with their employees in cases of financial difficulties.

As this developed, Dione confirmed reports that Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company in Mankayan, Benguet has implemented a reduced workday scheme among underground and surface workers, as earlier reported in Nordis. # Lyn V. Ramo