SPIU agrees to withdraw strike

CEBU, Philippines – The Salcon Independent Union has agreed to withdraw its notice of strike after meeting with the management in a talk brokered by Governor Gwen Garcia yesterday.

Last year, the members of SPIU filed notice of strike with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board after allegations that SPC failed to recognize what was stipulated in the collective bargaining agreement proposal.

In yesterday’s meeting Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong said he sought the assistance of the provincial government for a meeting between the parties concerned in a bid to come up with a resolution to the conflict.

Chiong hopes that both parties will come up with satisfactory resolution soon as the planned strike will give a negative impression of their municipality as well as the province.

Garcia said she would be willing to provide Capitol as a venue for both parties to settle their conflict and already instructed Manolette Dinsay, Capitol consultant on public and private linkages, to take charge of the entire issue until the conflict is resolved.

Elmer Pacayra, counsel for the SPIU, said the union workers are always open to a peaceful settlement, but the Salcon management often does not abide by their “legitimate and justifiable” requests.

Pacayra recalled that before the union filed their notice of strike with the NCMB, they held several meetings with the Salcon management and aired their sentiments. But the workers’ pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Nobody wins in the strike. At the end, it will affect not only Naga City but the entire Province of Cebu,” Garcia said.

In their earlier meeting before the NCMB also yesterday, the SPC Power Corp. described the threat of a strike by the rank and file union as uncalled for and unnecessary because it frightens Cebuanos with long brownouts despite the sincerity shown by management in dealing with its employees.

Ballesteros said that it was possible because of the sincere dialog between management and the supervisors. He also said SPC rank-and-file employees like union president Gaudencio Iso receive more than double the average pay of ordinary Cebuanos.

The management represented by Ballesteros and Iso, who represented the rank-and-file union yesterday conducted a conference to further negotiate with the economic provisions stipulated under their existing CBA.

Iso said that more than 50 union members went on mass leave while those who were on day-off went to the NCMB regional office yesterday to force their demand of “equal work, equal pay”.

The management panel also said it is the union leaders who have “ridiculous” and “high” demands during the negotiations for the CBA. — Garry B. Lao and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP (THE FREEMAN)