I am writing this job hunting story of mine here in Olongapo City, fresh from an experience that has opened my eyes why there are groups marching in the streets, fighting for labor rights. Some people call them militants, and now here I am, trying to echo some or even just a little of what those groups [of manggagawa] try to communicate to the Nation as a whole….
Just days or weeks after I signed the memorandum and clearance of retrenchment in my previous employer, I received an email and text messages from NIDEC SUBIC PHILIPPINES, inviting me for an exam and interview last November 2006 for the Production Supervisor position I applied for. I was quite surprised by some of the instructions particularly to wear white shirt, to bring extra clean slippers and not to wear cosmetics or use perfume because of the company’s contamination regulation. Since I am not fond of wearing white shirts/blouses, I need to buy one. Aside from the transportation cost from Quezon City to Olongapo, I was instructed by the HR through text message to ride a taxi (P100) from the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) gate to the Technopark where NIDEC is located. It was quite a financial burden for me, but remembering my ex-officemate, he said he was given gasoline reimbursement when he went to NIDEC for the interview (the same Supervisor position), I expected that I would receive reimbursements, too, but I didn’t. I was almost a day in there, and even had to spend for my lunch. I felt bad when I was not allowed to ride in their out-going bus (for employees) to the SBMA gate even if there would be extra seats. Maybe I just could not help but compare how my previous employer treated me/us well even when I was still an applicant….
In spite of those uneasy feelings towards the company, I still yielded to their invitation for the final interview around January. The same transpo and food expenses I had to shoulder. On that same day, I was offered the Part Quality Assurance Supervisor position with a salary much lower than my expectation, considering that NIDEC’s offer was almost the same as my recent salary (but not supervisory). I appealed for a little raise in the offer and relocation assistance, and then I had to wait for their decision since it was for the approval of the Japanese Manager. Weeks past, I didn’t receive an update from the HR, so I personally called up and found out that my request was not granted.
Thinking about the opportunities (training, career growth, etc.) that NIDEC might provide me, I thought of accepting the job and not to wait anymore for my other applications in other companies…. I was then told to provide the required documents (NBI, police clearance, etc.), which also would cost a considerable amount and time. I traveled again to submit those docs and was also told to have the pre-employment medical exam and that I had to spend P680 for it. Then, I needed to process my SBMA gate pass that would cost P35, days after. Then I was told that I need to sign an orientation contract. The contract emphasized that I would be paid P100 per day for the 2-day orientation, that I can avail of the free ride from SBMA gate to their office or vise versa, and that I should pass the orientation exam and the FACE CHECK. I was seriously advised by the HR attending to me, that my application would automatically be disqualified if I failed in the FACE CHECK that TALC reading should not go beyond 8 particles. I was advised not to apply powder and to be sure, it would be better to abstain from using powder 2-3 days before the orientation. So, I followed her advised… Gosh!!!! I felt I was deprived of my right to improve my looks, but looking at the brighter side, it was a cost saving thing…. hahahah! My later reaction was, how about during week-ends that I had to attend a party or social gatherings? Thoughts came out my mind like why can’t the company find other ways (ex., provide special wet facial wipes, liquid wash before entering the factory) than having all the employees be deprived of their right to enjoy their social life, hahaha. Wow…. I felt that part of my right would just be freely surrendered just for this job and for this company called NIDEC. But still, I wanted to just look at the brighter side and the promises that come with the job (professional growth, etc.). Well, I STILL TOOK THE OFFER!!!!
March 12 & 13 (Monday & Tuesday) was the orientation schedule. I needed to relocate myself before the orientation since the expected official first working day would be on the 14th, just after the orientation. I settled in a bed space recommended to me by one of the HR personnel, because the orientation was too soon and I was an alien in Olongapo. I needed to pack my things in Quezon City, and even needed to ship boxes of things to our province (Cagayan de Oro) and spent more than a thousand for that. I transferred to Olongapo last Sunday (March 11) and spent some amount for the gasoline and driver’s fee. The next important thing was to spend for the month and advance 1 month payment for the bed space that I rented in Olongapo. I even transferred to a more expensive space to be with my expected future company-mate, and the most important consideration was to avoid contamination. I should be with those who don’t use powder too, to avoid cross contamination…. Imagine! I need to avoid some people and isolate myself for the sake of the job, of the company…. that I also need to avoid the ‘beso-beso’ thing. And even mothers need to be careful putting powder to their babies or even just hugging or kissing them, because their job will be at stake…. NIDEC imposes strict penalties like suspension and even termination if an employee will fail on their FACE CHECK…
The first day of orientation…. the first thing asked was if we applied powder before coming to the factory… of course I did not — for days!!!! (I even washed my face with SAFEGUARD (as recommended by the company) before going to bed, even if I don’t wash my face at night (just astringent) as a way of taking care of my eyes. Then, we were told to go to the toilet and wash our face three times, then do the same after lunch, because the FACE CHECK would be in the afternoon. I was very confident that I could not fail in the face check. The more advanced apparatus that the QA had been using was out of order, they told us. So, the old method was used, and we were told that the results would be released early in the following morning. I woke up very early on the second day, to also scan on my orientation notes since I also needed to pass the exam at the end of the 2nd day of the orientation. In the morning, we were provided with our complete set of uniforms, we toured at our locker areas and other places, and the orientation continued. After lunch, I was suddenly called by the HR… I was told I FAILED the FACE CHECK… the test read 14 counts of TALC particles were found on my (rough, hahaha) face… hmmm…. I wondered how it happened. I was asked if I applied powder on my face before going to the factory. I replied that I did what I was told to do, then, I was told to wait for the decision. I also knew that there were two of us who failed. The other one was I think an operator and agency-hired. I learned later on that she was immediately told to change clothes and to return the uniforms. But, I was made to wait and even told to attend the on-going orientation lecture while waiting for the decision. I was thinking that there was just a mistake on the test, and that my room mates (one is from HR) can testify I did not use any powder for days. It was quite awhile, I even finished one orientation topic after the HR called me. The decision was a big NO!!! I WOULD NOT BE HIRED!
I have known that the Japanese folks in the industry are always firm with their decisions. I have previous experience similar to this… but I felt the unfairness of the system… of the process… I am left powerless… I lost so much (time, money, effort, sacrifices, even pride)… I should have been told to abstain from face powder weeks before, because the 2 or 3 days were not enough. I was told I need to go back to my locker and change clothes… I did… I felt I was like an innocent person judged as a thief… I felt the pain of a helpless, ordinary jobless citizen, deprived of the right to work and to achieve a decent living just because I just did what the company advised me to do to comply with their requirements. I felt I was tricked…. I signed a contract that was impossible to comply or to meet. I want to get paid of the damages that this pre-employment hassles had cost me (financially, emotionally, etc.), but how? In this nation filled with biases and injustices, how can a person like me, or like my orientation-mate (operator) be heard, especially in this time of Elections?
I thought of the other person hired by the agency —- I know it was more painful for her. She must have borrowed money for all the expenses that she had to incur before finding out she just failed the FACE CHECK… In a way I was thankful to know the real color of the company, that yes, maybe I have just been kept away from more pains inside their walls. I learned that majority of the 3,500 operators and leaders there are agency-hired —– lower pay, less benefits, no job security; probationary but monthly rated employees will not be paid on forced leaves (declared by company because there is no production)… By the way, I was even told to come back the following day for my P200 orientation allowance; I said, I would be spending more than P200 just to get that or spend sweat and time to walk to their office for that. If the company is professional enough, they would have given the amount each day, for those operators who even had a hard time finding money for their transpo and meals. I was just blessed that financially I can still support my self (for more weeks or months?)… hmmmm….
Are there such labor laws that protect the unemployed or the job hunters, or will there be laws that a good lawmaker can think of to look at the welfare of the unemployed?… Things like…. employers shall should shoulder some of the pre-employment expenses (medical exams, etc.)?
I’m not bringing this out because I am bitter that I am not hired in NIDEC…. I am even thankful now, but helpless and restless…. This experience is just a tip of an iceberg, of a deeper and larger reality of our citizen’s pains, especially that of the labor force and that of the unemployed…. This is just too small, compared to those that made a lot of people march in the streets, especially on the annual Labor Day Celebration. This is too little compared to the experiences of others, but enough to lower a person’s morale and flicker hopes of a brighter tomorrow of every Filipino…
I dream of a Filipino Nation with pride in every Filipino heart, not begging for multi-nationals to come and invest in our land, but granting their requests to invest here with us. There’s a big difference on that….. and I hope to witness that change when I am still alive….
VALUE JUSTICE THE SAME WAY AS YOU VALUE LIFE…
Nonetheless,
