The decision of Vallacar Transit Inc. to reduce by 50 percent the tripping allowance of its Ceres Liner drivers and conductors starting this month was made in consultation with their union leaders, a VTI statement said today, January 22.
“This tripping allowance was given unilaterally last year as an act of generosity by the management,” VTI said, in response to a strike staged by some Ceres Liner drivers and conductors in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Thursday, January 21.
“While some factions of the Victorias drivers and conductors may not like the decision, most of the company drivers and conductors understand that, as members of one family, they need to do whatever they can” to help keep the company afloat, the statement said.
During a labor-management meeting, they were made to understand that this is a temporary situation, and that management would restore the benefit by the end of March 2021, it said.
“The effects of COVID has caused a terrible blow to almost all industries. The transportation industry was not spared,” VTI said.
“Until now, Vallacar Transit cannot even fully serve most areas in its line of operations due to the quarantine protocols. The existing health safety protocols also mean that only a few of the commuting public can be accommodated in a bus. Despite this, Vallacar has always strived to provide to all its employees,” it added.
With the widespread news of various businesses folding and filing for bankruptcy, the management wants this company to survive the pandemic in order to continue providing employment for the thousands of families dependent on it, VTI said.
“This involves making difficult decisions so that everyone can stay afloat. We know that what we asked from our drivers and conductors require great sacrifice on their part. But everyone in the company did their share as well with all employees seeing significant reduction of work days and substantial reduction of salaries. This is necessary if we want our company to survive,” it added.
The actions of some of the drivers and conductors in Victorias are not shared by the entire population of the company’s drivers and conductors, it said.
On the issue of transparency, every benefit and deduction is all reflected in their pay slips, VTI added.
Should any drivers and conductors wish to be clarified they can always go to their union officers for an explanation, it said.
“We ask these drivers and conductors to pursue a more peaceful channel rather than resorting to an illegal strike and coercing some of their fellow drivers to stop driving. The actions of these disgruntled few only hurt the riding public who, even now, are suffering the inconvenience of having reduced volume of buses due to the pandemic,” VTI said.*