Union to give mgt more time

CEBU, Philippines - Carmen Copper Corporation’s labor union yesterday said it is ready to go on strike should an ongoing negotiation bug down.

It is, however, willing to give the mining company’s management additional time before it would call for a strike vote.

This, as the National Conciliation and Mediation Board-7 scheduled a second mediation this Wednesday between the management and the Panaghiusa sa mga Mamumuo sa Carmen Copper -Alliance of Genuine Labor Union (PAMCC-AGLO).

Dennis Derige, PAMCC-AGLO head organizer, said that although they are ready go on strike, they are open for negotiations with the management.

PAMCC-AGLO filed a notice of strike last Feb. 13; its 15-day cooling off period ends on March 1.

Derige said that after March 1, everything would still depend on the outcome of ongoing talks.

“It’s either we will extend the cooling off period to pave the way for further negotiations. Kay who knows, the company will ask for more time,” he said.

But if no settlement is reached despite the extension, a strike vote is most likely to happen.

“Kung wala gyud maayong resulta sa (If nothing good comes out of the) negotiations, we will conduct a strike vote, and of course we will target that 90 percent of our members will say yes to strike,” Derige said.

A majority vote among members is mandatory under the law before any labor union can stage a strike.

PAMCC-AGLO said that they have 3,020 members out of the 3,400 rank and file employees of the company.

PAMCC-AGLO  filed a notice a strike 11 days ago alleging that  the company breached provisions of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on next of kin, uniform, job classification, medicine allowance, hiring of new workers, and double standard implementation of company policies.

The management, on the other hand, insisted that the strike declaration violated an existing “no strike” policy under the CBA.

Carmen Copper further said that the five-year CBA it signed with that was signed by the company and PAMCC-AGLO Sept. 2012 contains a clear “no strike” covenant and provides for a comprehensive grievance resolution mechanism that the management  has consistently honored and implemented.  (FREEMAN)