Cepalco, labor union okay 3 of 7 issues

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THE Cagayan Electric  Power and Light Co.  (Cepalco) and its labor union on Monday agreed on three talking points but negotiations still reached an impasse on four of the workers’ demands.

As this developed, the city council’s energy committee is scheduled to meet with Cepalco executives and officials of labor union this morning in an effort to thwart a strike.

Councilor Teodulfo Lao Jr., committee chairman, said this even as he expressed alarm over the Cepalco Employees’ Labor Union’s (Celu’s) threat of a strike. Celu is an affiliate of the Alliance of Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).

Lao said the deadlock in negotiations for a fresh collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between Cepalco and Celu poses as a threat to the stability of the city’s power supply.

Cepalco executives and Celu officials met at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) here on Monday, and agreed on longevity and hospitalization benefits, and the retirement age.

But the negotiations reached a deadlock when it came to Celu’s demand for P2,400-increase in workers’ monthly salaries, 14th month pay, two-percent profit share, and a P60-thousand signing bonus for each of the Cepalco workers.

Lao said the council’s energy committee already sent invitations to Cepalco executives and Celu representatives, including ALU-TUCP vice president for Mindanao Nicandro Borja, in the hope of making them agree.

NCMB regional director Ligaya Lumbay said the parties would meet again this Friday. Celu filed a notice of strike at the NCMB in July 1 as a result of the impasse on the June 24 negotiations.

Amor Sanchez, Celu president, said Monday’s negotiations led to nowhere when Cepalco rejected the demand for a P2,400-increase in monthly salaries, 14th month pay, P60-thousand signing bonus and a two-percent share of the profits for every worker.

But he said Celu agreed to accept three of Cepalco’s offers––longevity pay, P75 thousand in hospitalization benefits, and the retirement age that would be tackled outside the CBA.

“Mi-oyon nalang kami anang tulo ka mga issues tungod sa among tingoha nga magkasinabot unta ang labor ug ang management alang sa ‘win-win’ solution,” Sanchez said.

Meanwhile, Cepalco spokesperson Marilyn Chavez called up this paper yesterday to deny that she stated that there was no reason for members of the company’s labor union to go on strike because they were already receiving much benefit from the company. She also denied that she was interviewed by correspondent Lito Rulona about the labor dispute.

“I have been saying that it’s their (workers’) right, and Cepalco respects that right,” Chavez said.