Dismissed LRTA workers hold rally in front of SC

Dismissed workers of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) held a rally on Tuesday in front of the Supreme Court (SC) in Manila.

Some protesters held signs urging the SC to grant "a second motion for reconsideration" over its decision to deny the transit employees’ money claims.
 

FLASH REPORT: Mga tinanggal na empleyado ng Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA), nagkikilos-protesta sa Korte Suprema sa Maynila. | via @VargasMannysen pic.twitter.com/YLngXnq0C9

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 17, 2024

In August, the SC affirmed the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) that employees of the now-defunct Metro Transit Organization Inc. (MTOI) cannot seek compensation from the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).

The employees of the MTOI, which had an operations and management agreement with the LRTA, were terminated after the LRTA no longer renewed the agreement following a strike in July 2000 over a bargaining deadlock.

They then filed a complaint against MTOI and the LRTA for illegal dismissal and unfair labor practices.

The Labor Arbiter later ruled that their dismissal was illegal and ordered MTOI and LRTA to pay them separation pay and backwages amounting to P208.2 million.

However, in its ruling, the Supreme Court cited a previous decision that found that the LRTA cannot be held liable as the Labor Arbiter and the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) had no jurisdiction over the LRTA.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News