The once busy stretch of Beach Road in San Antonio appeared like a ghost town yesterday after Saipan\u2019s major garment manufacturer United International Corp. officially ceased its operations.<\/p>\n
Saipan Tribune yesterday afternoon observed no more garment workers seen crossing the crosswalk in front of UIC.<\/p>\n
Neither Chinese workers were spotted riding bicycles nor workers milling around pickup trucks selling assorted fresh vegetables.<\/p>\n
Only one Filipino security guard was seen inside UIC compound.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore it\u2019s like a Chinatown in Manila here. Now it\u2019s like a ghost town,\u201d said the guard who refused to be identified.<\/p>\n
He said many UIC workers mostly longtime employees\u2014Chinese, Filipinos and Thais\u2014already left the island.<\/p>\n
The guard said many workers stayed with UIC for many years because its president, James Lin, is a very nice and supportive employer.<\/p>\n
He said some Filipino workers had been in the factory for 17 years.<\/p>\n
The guard said he started to work at UIC since 1996 and had held many jobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur salaries were never delayed even holidays. If you extended even 15 minutes of work, Mr. Lin and the management would pay your overtime,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Department of Labor effective yesterday revoked the work permits of 229 foreign workers of UIC following the closure.<\/p>\n
Labor Administrative Hearing Officer Herbert D. Soll, however, granted transfer relief to the alien workers.<\/p>\n
Soll directed each worker to register with Labor\u2019s Division of Employment Services no later than Oct. 6, 2008.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
With the shutdown, UIC joined seven other garment factories that closed since the start of 2008, affecting over a thousand workers.<\/p>\n
With UIC\u2019s closure, only three garment factories remain operational.<\/p>\n
Many garment factories on Saipan started ceasing operations in January 2005 when the World Trade Organization lifted trade quotas.<\/p>\n
CNMI used to have 34 garment factories, contributing some $60 million in direct taxes a year to the local government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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