Factory worker paid salary in coins, mayor suspends business permit

VALENZUELA: A company’s business permit has been suspended over paying employee’s salary in thousands of coins in Philippines.       

According to the details, Russel Mañosa was paid for two days of work at a factory, which deals in plastic recycling, in several bags of coins.

Later, his cousin took to Facebook to share pictures of the coins in dozens of plastic bags. The Facebook post went viral and caught the attention of Mayor Rex Gatchalian of Valenzuela City.

The mayor meet with the factory worker who told him that he received the coins after he filed a complaint against what he felt were the company’s unfair labour practices.

Mañosa said that the factory’s cashier told him to swap the large number of coins at a bank.

Mañosa and a representative of the company had a meeting which was presided over by the Mayor. The meeting was live-streamed on the Valenzuela City government’s Facebook page. It was also 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,” the mayor asked.

Company representative Jasper Cheng So claimed that there was a mistake that led to the employee being paid off with coins. He said that the coins weren’t intended for Mañosa, Times Now News reported.

However, the Mayor and Mañosa were not convinced.

Subsequently, Philippines Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello III ordered an investigation into the company and said that the factory owner face charges due to the alleged unfair labour practices.

Mayor Gatchalian has suspended the company’s business permit. The factory has been ordered to close for 15 days until it complies with government requirements.