Veco: Strike won’t hurt our services

CEBU, Philippines – The management of Visayan Electric Company assured that service will continue as before and that their customers will not be affected by the “unfortunate and irresponsible statements and actions” of the ALU and 156 “misguided union team members who have chosen a path of utmost disregard for the public they were hired to serve”.

This after the strike vote conducted the other night by the VECO Employees Union-Associated Labor Unions-Trade Congress of the Philippines, wherein 156 of the union members participated the strike voting.

In a press statement through its spokeswoman Ethel Natera, VECO said 83 union members either chose not to strike or did not participate in the strike voting.

The union has a total membership of 239, of which 149 voted yes to strike, six voted no while one ballot was spoiled.

“We are also elated that 83 of our VECO Union Kaibigans either chose not to strike or did not participate in the strike voting. These VECO Union kaibigans together with our 174 non-union VECO Kaibigans and our Accredited Electrical Service Contractors are committed to ensure and guarantee that your electric service will not be disrupted. VECO will continue to provide full uninterrupted service as is expected from an electric utility granted the privilege to operate a franchise,” the statement read.

VECEU-ALU-TUCP local president Casmero Mahilum said that they have already submitted the results of their strike voting to the National Conciliation and Mediation Board yesterday and the board will be conducting a marathon hearing starting today on the ongoing labor dispute.

The Trade Union Congress Party called on the management of VECO to disclose its record of earnings for the past three years and compare the bonuses given to top management officers with what has been given to its union member-employees.

VECO is the second largest electric utility in the Philippines and serves the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and the towns of Naga, Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla and San Fernando. Its franchise service covers an area of about 672 square kilometers with an estimated population of 1.73 million.

TUCP Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza urged VECO management to “provide employees with productivity incentives and strictly apply profit-sharing” as it disclosed that according to public records, Aboitiz Power Corporation, VECO’s parent company, is enjoying a robust increase in its net income for the first six months of 2010 by 678 percent, from P1.64 billion last year to P12.75 billion this year.

“With these kind of earnings, why can’t the management provide what is due their workers.” he said in a press statement.

VECEU-ALU-TUCP has filed notice of strike for union-busting with various violations allegedly committed by the management which includes harassment, suspension of 21 members without following the grievance procedure and labor-only contracting.

Mendoza said that the union also accused the management of committing gross violation of the economic provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement as well as the management did not want to show the company’s financial statements to the union despite the latter’s several demands for the management to explain how the company’s profit is determined and computed.

“The TUCP Party-List will provide all forms of assistance to the VECO Union as we continue to fight for the welfare of our workers and their families. Let us remember that it is the workers who made those stupendous profits for the Aboitiz family and their corporate executives,” Mendoza said. -/BRP (FREEMAN)