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First Posted on Inside Mindanao (www.insidemindanao.com) on November 12, 2008

Laid off and left out: Close to 1,000 mining workers lament loss of jobs
By Tubay Journalism Team

TUBAY, AGUSAN DEL NORTE—Close to 1,000 workers, 80% of the work force of large–scale mining company San Roque Metals, Inc. (SRMI), were laid off by the company middle of this year.

A week after the company laid off majority of its workers, mostly residents of Tubay, the company announced that it would temporarily halt its operation.

Despite the temporary closure announcement, residents of Tubay observed that the company continues to haul nickel ore from the mountains of Tubay. Truck loads of nickel ore hauled from the mountains of Tubay were gathered at the pier located in barangay La Fraternidad, Tubay.

Since the July declaration of suspension of SRMI operation, residents of Tubay have also observed that six cargo ships have docked at La Fraternidad Pier and hauled loads of nickel ore.

The continued operation of SRMI distressed a number of laid off workers. One laid off worker said, "The company has no respect to us laid off workers. We were just deceived by the company."

Initially, the laid off workers planned to hold a picket–rally against the company but this plan was pulled off by the laid off workers themselves.

The laid off workers were also surprised by the company's recent hiring of new workers. This hiring of new workers came as a surprise, one laid off worker said. The former SRMI worker said that the company promised them that when the company resumes operation, they would be hired back.

The former SRMI workers also lamented the fact that the newly hired workers are not residents of Tubay.

A resident of Tubay asked, "Where are the promised mining jobs?"

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