7D won't recognize certification election

The management of 7D Food International Incorporated will not recognize the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines as the exclusive bargaining agent of its employees.

Romulo Senining, the company's legal counsel, said that ALU-TUCP's certification election conducted the other day was nothing but a futile exercise.

"The management will not recognize ALU-TUCP as the rank and file employees' exclusive bargaining agent since the votes obtained does not obtain the majority," Senining said.

But ALU-TUCP director for operations Ferdinand Jumapao insisted that they are the exclusive bargaining agent of the 7D workers as majority of the employees voted in favor of the union.

Senining said the 7D employees at its Casungtingan, Mandaue City plant do not comprise the majority of the workers of the company since it has employees in Negros Occidental, Agusan, Davao, Cagayan and other areas in the country.

Senining said there are around 715 employees in these areas and that during the certification election the other day, only 76 employees voted in favor of the union.

But Jumapao said that their petition for recognition is only limited to the company's employees in Mandaue City and excludes employees in other areas.

Jumapao said at least 75 of the 144 employees in Mandaue City voted for the union, which means that they obtained the majority during the election.

But Senining said that there are about 193 7D employees in Mandaue City and the "yes" votes of the 76 employees still did not constitute the majority.

The Court of Appeals has yet to rule on the petition stopping the certification election filed by the management on June 10.

"CA has still to rule on our petition, that's why we just allow them to conduct their certification election. That is a futile exercise anyway," Senining said.

Last February, at least 100 7D employees were barred from work and were reportedly driven out of their quarters after the management found them affiliating with ALU-TUCP.

7D engages in mango business for international and local distributions. Its products include mangorine, mango puree, mango nectar and dried mangoes. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan