The picket launched by members of the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) Employees Union (BEU) before the National Civil Service Commission (CSC) office in Quezon City is in its third day. The workers started the protest on September 16 to reiterate to the commission their call to reinstate the laid off Baciwa employees and pay full back wages to those who resigned.

They call on the CSC to immediately issue a decision in favor of their appeal. As early as August 2021, CSC Region 6 issued an order to reinstate the fired workers. Instead of implementing the order, Baciwa challenged the commission’s decision and elevated the case to the CSC national office. To date, the commission has yet to provide a resolution.

The Baciwa staff again traveled to Metro Manila from Bacolod City to present their grievance to the CSC. It can be recalled that BEU also held a picket and dialogue with CSC in January.

Fifty-nine Baciwa employees were laid off in December 2020 after Baciwa signed a joint venture agreement (JVA) with the Villar family’s Prime Water Incorporated. They were fired because they were allegedly redundant.

In solidarity, the Confederation for Unity Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) joined the action. The BEU, Water for the People Network and other organizations also called for the investigation and scrapping of all JVAs and privatizations that have caused slow, dirty and very expensive public water services.

“The privatization of water has only served to line the pockets of a few wealthy individuals at the expense of the Filipino people. We demand accountability from the Marcos Jr administration,” Ferdinand Gaite, former Courage chairman and former Bayan Muna Partylist representative, said.

BEU and its supporters also installed the camp opposite CSC today. They said they will not leave the office until the CSC commissioner faces them.