Majority of VECO workers to strike

CEBU, Philippines - Majority of the members of the Visayan Electric Company Employees Union-ALU-TUCP voted “yes” to a strike against the management whom they accused of committing an unfair labor practices and harassment.

Casimiro Mahilum, the union president, told The FREEMAN yesterday that during their strike voting held the other night, 171 of the 179 members who participated voted yes.

The union has a total membership of 247.

Last May 18, 2009, the union filed a notice of strike before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board charging the company for committing union busting and unfair labor practices.

After the lapse of the mandatory seven-day cooling-off period, the union has now the option to stage a strike or not.

If indeed the strike will occur, Ethel Natera, VECO spokeswoman however assured the public that electric service to all areas of their franchise shall continue uninterrupted. 

“We shall continue to ensure that electric service continues customer requests, applications and payments as well as complaints will be acted on in a manner that the VECO customer requires and deserves,” Natera said in a press statement sent to The FREEMAN.

Natera added that since May 17, 2009 VECO management and union officers have met nine times with officials of the NCMB in an effort to come to an agreement.  

Natera said that the VECO top management has also met five times with Rep. Raymond Mendoza (TUCP Party List Representative), who has been acting as mediator in an effort to come to an agreement.

On three separate occasions VECO top management, Mendoza and Mahilum came to an agreement. 

“However the Union reneged on two verbal agreements and one written agreement. These show that VECEU has acted in bad faith throughout the course of those conciliation talks,” the statement reads.

The statement added that it is very unfortunate that a misguided Union leadership has chosen to endanger the livelihood of its members whom it is sworn to protect and has completely disregarded its responsibility to public service as employees of a public utility all in the name of questioning management prerogative.

“Once more, VECO service will continue as before and in no way will you, the customer, suffer for these unfortunate actions,” the statement further read. —Mitchelle Palaubsanon/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)