האגודה הישראלית לחקר יחסי עבודה

are affected by a strike being waged by about 700 drivers and conductors of the DLTB bus line since Wednesday night.

The DLTB management claims that the strike is illegal as the protesting drivers do not even belong to the union recognized by the Department of Labor and Employment.

The drivers are asking for an increase in salaries which they say is way below the minimum wage.

They explained that when the bus liner started operations six years ago, they were getting P404 per day, but during the Aquino administration, they suffered a pay cut, and received only P370 a day.

They are also demanding for their 13th month pay which they say have been withheld by management.

However, the legal department of the DLTB bus line denied the pay cut, saying those on strike belong to an illegitimate union.

Management said they have a “no lockout, no strike” agreement as part of the collective bargaining union with the legitimate union. The bus liner’s legal chief said the issue is rooted on who between the two claimant-unions have the right to collect union dues from employees.

Amid the uproar, passengers of DLTB are at the losing end of the clash between the two unions since trips have been halted due to the ongoing strike.

Many of the passengers are bound for Bicol and Leyte in hopes of welcoming the new year with their families.

Bicol-bound passengers are highly dismayed as they had wished to be with their families after Typhoon “Nina” struck their province.

Some passengers have opted to take a refund instead and will try to book trips with other bus liners.

However, most liners are fully booked so passengers say they might just have to spend the New Yar in Manila without their families.--reports from Ron Lopez, ABS-CBN News