Labor problem at beach resort resolved

CEBU, Philippines - Employees of a Japanese-owned five-star luxury beach resort in southern Cebu will no longer pursue their plan to stage a strike after a peaceful resolution of their notice of strike was reached with the resort’s management.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz announced herself the settlement and commended both the conciliators, the management of P & I Resorts (Pulchra), Inc. and the employees “for choosing a peaceful solution to their dispute.”

Citing a report from NCMB executive director Reynaldo R. Ubaldo, Baldoz said the notice of strike of Pulchra Beach Resort Employees Union has been amicably settled through the facilitation of conciliator-mediator Gemma Poloyapoy before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board regional office.

“...A strike could have been debilitating. It could have paralyzed the operations of the company and affected the resort patrons. Worse, it could have hurt the workers,” Baldoz said in a press statement.

P and I Resorts, Inc., located in San Fernando town, Cebu, is engaged in recreational services and has 80 employees.

On 21 March 2013, the union filed a notice of strike against the management for alleged unfair labor practice, specifically union busting due to alleged dismissal of the union president, and non-compliance with grievance procedure.

Santiago Marivall Enad, union president of Pulchra Employees Union was dismissed from employment for allegedly dining with customers, an act violating the company’s rules and regulations.

He was dismissed on March 18, 2013.  This prompted the union to file a notice of strike on March 21, 2013.

Conciliator-Mediator Gemma Poloyapoy, who was assigned to conciliate the dispute, conducted several conferences between the union and management to narrow their differences and arrive at a settlement.

On 24 April 2013, Enad, on behalf of the union, accepted the management’s offer of early retirement program benefits amounting to P142, 514.

The agreement on the settlement was sealed with an ALU-TUCP representative concurring.

“This receptiveness to amicable and peaceful settlement showed the union’s and the management’s maturity, which augurs well for harmonious working relations in the establishment,” Baldoz said.

P & I was represented by Koji Inoue, general manager; Bernadette Hernaez, human resource manager; and Jocelyn Pesquera, legal counsel.

The employee’s union is an affiliate of the Alliance of Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP). (FREEMAN)