“Is there no local or federal agency in the CNMI capable of taking action to assist these workers to collect their back wages, and to prosecute these crooks? How do officials charged with enforcing the law stand by and allow this happen to workers and their families?” Doromal asks in her Unheard No More blogsite.
She said hotel and casino owner Masahiro Watanabe has played the disappearing act since the financial failure of his business started.
Verbal agreement
Arthur Alpino, the hotel’s accountant, said the 10 workers who reportedly resigned are still “part” of the hotel staff.
The statements of hotel manager Yoshiro Kishimoto, Alpino added, “are false and not true.”
“They are just telling these accusations because they don’t like the responsibilities now that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued rules and regulations for contract workers,” he said.
Kishimoto, in an earlier interview, told Variety there were only three personnel working in the hotel and that 10 had already resigned.
Alpino said they did meet last month with the hotel management, Rota Mayor Melchor Mendiola and municipal council chairman George Hocog.
He said there was only a “verbal” agreement to allow them to find another job.
During the meeting, he said Watanabe promised to pay 10 percent of the unpaid wages of each personnel every month.
Alpino said they received the first 10 percent but “we are not sure when we can get the next installment.”
The 13 hotel workers are owed $57,000 in unpaid wages.
Alpino said management should pay them in full.
He said they will again ask the mayor to assist them in pressuring the hotel management to meet their obligations to their workers.
Paul Quiroz, former hotel front desk, said not one of all hotel personnel have resigned — “we only stopped working because they no longer pay us.”
Management, he added, allowed them to stop working and to find for another job.
After the hotel workers staged a mini-protest rally last month, management agreed to meet them and promised to start paying them in installment basis, he said.
“They promised us they will send our remaining unpaid wages to the Philippines if we decide to go home,” he said.
“We can’t do that. We will stay here until all our unpaid wages is resolved,” he added.
Labor abuses
Rabby Syed, United Workers Movement, is asking the CNMI and federal governments to resolve labor cases involving unpaid wages.
“No one should be deported until all unpaid wages are paid,” he said. “Otherwise it will be a big question mark on U.S. soil if we have these labor abuses.”
He said the CNMI is now under federal immigration control and the U.S. Department of Labor should monitor any labor abuses.
Syed encouraged the Rota workers to continue to be united and seek legal remedies.
“They should also raise their voices for improved status,” he said.
He asked the Rota legislative delegation to help resolve the complaints of the Rota Hotel workers.
Legal remedy
One of the workers, Danilo Malaborbor, said he wants the full payment of his unpaid wages.
“It’s good we have [the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program]. If not for WIC I can’t feed my children,” he added.
While his wife is still looking for work, Malaborbor said he is currently employed as a part-time mechanic.
He said it is uncertain whether his family will remain intact after Nov. 27, when their umbrella permits expire.
Alpino said they are seeking legal action against the hotel management.
He said management is giving casino employees a $400 monthly allowance while hotel personnel get nothing.
Some of the casino employees are taking a vacation in Japan or the Philippines, he said. This was confirmed by Kishimoto to Variety.
“We had been very patient but our patience came to an end upon learning about their unfair treatment of hotel employees,” Alpino said.
