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DOLE mulls deployment ban to Poland

Almost 140 Filipino workers in Poland prematurely ended their contracts and left their employers due to contract violations or abuse, the Department of Labor said.

Philippine labor attaché to Geneva Cheryl Daytec, who is also accredited to handle labor matters in Poland, reported that 135 OFWs have absconded from work as of October 9, and recommended to DOLE that the deployment of Filipino workers to Poland be suspended.

“Based on interviews conducted with some runaways, abscondence is more a response to abuse and broken contracts than solely driven by desire to seek better economic opportunities,” Daytec said in her report.

She noted that OFWs in distress in Poland during the months of October and November have increased, complaining of contract substitution, bad working conditions, unjust termination, and expired visas.
One of the notable cases of mistreatment cited in the report involved OFWs deployed by Gold Icon Recruitment and Promotion Inc. in the Philippines and HR Motives in Poland.

“The workers reported that HR Motives changed their contract upon their arrival in Poland,” the Manila Bulletin quoted Daytec’s report.

“The OFWs further complained that Gold Icon collected at least P269,000 from them by way of processing fees. No receipts were issued…at the same time, they were made to sign documents stating that Gold Icon did not collect any amount from them,” it added.

Aside from suspending the deployment, the Labor Attaché also recommended that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) investigate the claims of the workers.

Deployment of OFWs to Poland have increased this year due to the demand for thousands of Filipino workers to that Eastern European country.

As early as February, the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw has recommended the ban on deployment of trailer truck drivers there and in the entire Europe. Around 62 Filipino truck drivers from Germany, Denmark and Poland were rescued after complaining of living in poor and deplorable conditions in their respective workplaces.

Staff Report

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