by AC Agad

KORONADAL CITY (3 October) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has already assumed jurisdiction over the labor dispute between the management of giant Multinational Corporation DOLE Philippines-Polomolok Cannery and the labor union AMADO-KADENA-NAFLU-KMU.

A DOLEPHIL insider said operations are now back to normal after the government's labor department issued a return to work order to employees who planned to join a strike.

The standoff allegedly caused the pull-out of some foreign investments for the company's expansion. Said expansion may have created job opportunities for local residents, the source said.

Potential investors needed by the company for its expansion reportedly withdraw their plan to infuse capital to the subsidiary of the US multinational Dole Food Company for fear that their investments may be affected by the dispute between the management and the workers union.

The government through the Labor Department had interceded to avert greater damage such as the loss of income for the affected workers, loss of revenue for the company and for the government, also the loss of revenue from taxes and licenses.