Over 10 foreign employees of the Island Paradise Resort Club had filed a complaint before the Division of Labor yesterday against the resort management for alleged labor-related issues.
In an interview with the media at the Ernguul Park yesterday, the complainants aired that the management of the resort allegedly wanted them to shoulder the payment for the $500 “Foreign Investment Board (FIB) fee.” The workers said that this was not part of the contract agreement they had originally signed with the employer.
They also said that this alleged change in the company policy will affect around 30 foreign workers but they added that only a few of them had stepped up to raise concerns about the issue as others were allegedly afraid to speak up.
“We have already [raised our] concern[s] [to] the labor [office] and our attorney,” one of the workers (name withheld as the source requested anonymity) shared.
“If we will not pay the FIB, the company will send us back to our home country,” the worker alleged.
“We complained because $500 is too big for us,” the worker added, explaining that their salary will be deducted until they paid the full amount.
Other than that, the complainants also alleged that the company had also deducted a “savings” from their salary which they can access during emergency but they alleged that during emergency, the company wouldn’t give them the savings. They also complained about alleged delayed salary payment.
The complainant foreign workers said that the management had shown alleged discrimination as the said changes in the working condition had only been applicable to other foreign workers except Taiwanese.
“We do not have any benefits in this company, we are the ones who shouldered our housing, food, and everything,” one of the workers said.
The management had allegedly informed them that the shuttle service offered to the workers will be cut off effective today.
Island Times went to the Island Paradise Resort Club yesterday to get the management’s side of the story but the management refused to comment on the issue.
Officers from the Labor Office had immediately took action after the complainants filed the complaint yesterday and went to the Island Paradise Resort Club to talk to the management. Authorities are still working with the two parties to resolve the issue. (Rhealyn C. Pojas)