Tension brews at port

A tense situation is brewing at the port of Dumaguete where workers are raising some issues against the arrastre operator.

To prevent the repeat of a strike that crippled economic activity at the same port and resulted in a bloody dispersal in 2008, the National Conciliation and Mediation Board immediately brought the two sides to a round table discussion yesterday.

Present were representatives of the Human Resource department of Prudential Customs Brokerage Systems Inc. from Manila and their lawyers, and union officers backed by the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.

The meeting presided over by NCMB conciliator Edmund Mirasol was aimed at threshing out the issue on the availment of sick and emergency leaves by members of the Dumaguete Port Workers union headed by Libbv Tambiga, as provided in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

About 202 union members are complaining because the manager, Edgardo Tedalgo, will not allow them to avail of their sick leave unless they have earned it.

After a lengthy discussion, the issue was settled and union members can avail of sick leaves of the preceding fiscal year, as approved by HR representative Edmund Gonzales, ALU-TUCP provincial coordinator Felizardo Calimpong said.

It was also resolved that union members will pay union dues and non-members to pay agency fees.

The next mediation meeting is scheduled on July 28, to tackle issues involving the termination and suspension of union members.

A separate complaint against the actuations of the manager, for alleged threats, and harassment, among others, was also filed by union members.*JG –JUANCHO GALLARDE, Daily Star