UIC ceases operations

The once busy stretch of Beach Road in San Antonio appeared like a ghost town yesterday after Saipan’s major garment manufacturer United International Corp. officially ceased its operations.

Saipan Tribune yesterday afternoon observed no more garment workers seen crossing the crosswalk in front of UIC.

Neither Chinese workers were spotted riding bicycles nor workers milling around pickup trucks selling assorted fresh vegetables.

Only one Filipino security guard was seen inside UIC compound.

“Before it’s like a Chinatown in Manila here. Now it’s like a ghost town,” said the guard who refused to be identified.

He said many UIC workers mostly longtime employees—Chinese, Filipinos and Thais—already left the island.

The guard said many workers stayed with UIC for many years because its president, James Lin, is a very nice and supportive employer.

He said some Filipino workers had been in the factory for 17 years.

The guard said he started to work at UIC since 1996 and had held many jobs.

“Our salaries were never delayed even holidays. If you extended even 15 minutes of work, Mr. Lin and the management would pay your overtime,” he said.

He said most workers, particularly those who had been at UIC for more many years, were very sad when the engines in the factory finally stopped operating two weeks ago.

In 2000, workers at UIC reached over 1,000 mostly Chinese. At that time, 250 workers were Filipinos. Last year only 50 of the 250 Filipinos were left.

The Department of Labor effective yesterday revoked the work permits of 229 foreign workers of UIC following the closure.

Labor Administrative Hearing Officer Herbert D. Soll, however, granted transfer relief to the alien workers.

Soll directed each worker to register with Labor’s Division of Employment Services no later than Oct. 6, 2008.

The hearing officer gave each worker 30 days from the date of registration in which to find a suitable new employer and submit a signed employer intent form to the Employment Services.

With the shutdown, UIC joined seven other garment factories that closed since the start of 2008, affecting over a thousand workers.

With UIC’s closure, only three garment factories remain operational.

Many garment factories on Saipan started ceasing operations in January 2005 when the World Trade Organization lifted trade quotas.

CNMI used to have 34 garment factories, contributing some $60 million in direct taxes a year to the local government.