Yesterday, the former workers, together with their children and spouses, gathered outside of the federal court in Garapan to seek an audience with U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson.
They wanted the judge to stop Bellas from donating the trust fund money and to give it instead to its intended beneficiaries — former garment workers.
On Friday, Munson approved Bellas’ recommendation to donate part of the funds to 14 schools and non-profit organizations, which included Karidat and the American Red Cross.
During their peaceful gathering yesterday, the former garment workers displayed placards that urged Munson to reconsider his decision.
But they were told that Munson was off-island and could not meet them.
Worker advocates Rabby Syed and Ronnie Doca said the former garment workers had already submitted their petition urging the federal court to stop Bellas from donating the money, which was the remainder of the $20 million settlement funds.
The petition was signed by over 300 former garment workers on Jan. 20 at the Bicol Pavilion in Susupe.
“The recipients should the former garment workers who are on island,” according to the petition prepared by worker advocate Carlito J. Marquez.
Some of the former garment workers told Variety that Bellas should also explain the computation of the funds already distributed to the workers.
Some said the computation was not based on the number of years a worker was employed by a garment factory.
One garment worker said she worked for nine years and received only $92, while another worked for 13 years and received $385.
“Almost all of us have no work and we really need that money,” they said.
According to their petition, “We had exhausted ourselves…in our daily tasks, spent our hard earned money to follow up claims, only to find ourselves being segregated and neglected.”
It was the Garment Oversight Board, which was dissolved in Oct. 2008, that established the trust fund
The board chaired by Bellas was created pursuant to the settlement agreement in the class action against the island’s garment industry.
Syed said the former garment workers have agreed to file an injunction as soon as possible to stop the disposition of the funds to schools and charitable institutions.
But since the workers could not afford to pay a lawyer, Doca said the group will have to represent itself in court.
The group is also asking the court to waive the $350 filing fee so it can proceed with the case.
Before the group dispersed yesterday, the former garment workers donated $2 each for their legal fund.
