Veco, union fail to agree on issue of strike

CEBU, Philippines – The first of the scheduled series of hearings to solve the labor dispute at the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) resulted in nothing.

The management and the workers' union failed to arrive at any agreement in a meeting yesterday at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) 7 Office.

The two parties decided to have another meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

The VECO Employees' Union-Associated Labor Union (VECEU-ALU-TUCP) had voted yes to a strike last Nov. 4. 

They accused the management of union-busting and harassment for the suspension imposed on its 21 members without following procedures.

The workers are also asking the management to provide them with productivity incentives and profit-sharing, and are urging the management to disclose its record of earnings.

The management of VECO assured that what is happening right now will not affect their services in their franchise area that covers Cebu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, and Naga City and the municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando.

Veco's franchise covers an estimated 1.73 million people. It is owned and managed by Aboitiz Power Corporation and Vivant Corporation, with its shareholders' roster comprised by around 800 individual shareholders. (FREEMAN)