Siblings file dollars 5.5m unfair dismissal suit against WPP

MANILA: WPP Marketing Communications faces a USdollars 5.5 million lawsuit filed by two siblings who alleged that the company dismissed them without legal basis. J. Walter Thompson's former client services director Rey Mendoza and MindShare's former managing director Jocelyn Galera slapped WPP with the country's biggest illegal dismissal lawsuit to date. In his suit, Mendoza said he was forced to resign on January 8 as his working conditions had been made stifling and uncomfortable. Galera left her post at MindShare on April 15, while Mendoza's case was being heard in the labour court. She claimed she was summarily dismissed without explanation. The pair have named as respondents JWT president and managing director Mark Webster, JWT finance director Randi Lorica, MindShare Asia-Pacific regional chairman John Steedman and Manila-based chairman and president Minda Lansang. Webster, who became JWT Philippines' chief last year, expressed surprise at the suit. While he admitted to retrenching staff, he said this was undertaken legally. "In the end, Mendoza filed for resignation," Webster said. Lansang also disputed the allegations, saying: "What's been said so far is not entirely correct."

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