A factory worker in the Philippines received plastic bags containing thousands of small coins as pay for two days of labor, gaining the sympathy of social media users and local authorities who dressed down company representatives in public.
Over the weekend, a cousin of laborer Russel Mañosa posted on Facebook a series of photos showing the coins in small and large plastic bags. That got the attention of Mayor Rex Gatchalian from Valenzuela City, where the factory, which reportedly works in plastic recycling, is located.
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Gatchalian then met with Mañosa and the company NexGreen Enterprise earlier this week. Mañosa said the factory’s cashier told him to just exchange the large amount of coins at a bank.
Mounting outrage online led to an unusual confrontation on Wednesday, when the disgruntled employee who resigned after the incident faced off with a representative of the company as cameras rolled, with the mayor presiding over it all in dramatic fashion.
The encounter was live streamed on the Valenzuela City government’s Facebook page and aired in local media.
“Why did you pay your employee with five and ten cents? That is insulting and that is stripping the worker of dignity,” Gatchalian demanded, according to the footage.
The owner, whose name card identified him as Jasper Cheng So, claimed the employee was paid off with coins by mistake and they weren’t intended for him. Both the mayor and the employee were not convinced. Mañosa said he received the coins after he angered So for filing a complaint against what he felt were the company’s unfair labor practices.
So ultimately apologized for the coin payment and said that “regardless of the mistake or what, it’s my command responsibility so I accept anything. I will not contest.”
Philippine Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III ordered an investigation into the company and said that the alleged unfair labor practices could see the factory owner face charges.
Mayor Gatchalian suspended the company’s business permit and ordered the factory closed for 15 days until it complies with government requirements. VICE World News’ calls to listed numbers for the company were not answered.
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