DoLE panel formed to hasten resolution of labor disputes

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has set in place a mechanism to facilitate the settlement of all labor disputes and subsequently the delivery of justice and assistance to workers in distress.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque over the weekend said a committee in charge of the DoLE’s Speedy and Efficient Delivery of Labor Justice (DoLE SpeED) has been constituted to hasten the resolution of labor and employment disputes lodged before the agency’s regional offices, bureaus, and attached agencies.

He said the “DoLE SpeED Committee” is tasked to monitor case dispositions and make necessary interventions to ensure the speedy and efficient dispensation of labor justice and assistance to workers involved in these cases.

Roque said the committee would observe the “single team approach” and the use of conciliation-mediation as the first and preferential mode in the settlement of all labor and employment disputes to ensure the speedy disposition of the cases.

Meanwhile, the DoLE reported that from January to June, 7,622 workers have received a total of P208.6 million in back wages and other benefits after the department settled their work and management-related disputes.

The DoLE report showed the labor disputes included 396 labor cases which were settled under the “single entry approach” that benefited 524 workers who received an economic package totaling P7.6 million.

The labor department was also able to settle a number of deadlocks between management and labor over collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that were held under preventive mediation, benefiting 761 workers who received a total of P47.5 million in CBA benefits.

Due to their resolution, another 379 workers received separation and restitution packages amounting to P9.5 million, the report added. –Mina Diaz, Daily Tribune