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Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Port dispute gets reprieve amid talks
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE concerned parties involved in the looming union strike to be staged by Phase II Port Workers Union (PPWU) workers of OroPort Cargo Handling Services Inc. (Oroport) at Cagayan de Oro City's billionaire port signed a peace agreement Monday.
This developed despite how PPWU, an affiliate of the Association of Labor Union-Trade Union of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), cried foul as to how Oroport management allegedly released P1 million as "strike fund."
ALU-TUCP national president lawyer Democrito Mendoza, Sr. and Oroport chairman Franklin Siao has submitted themselves to a peace accord after a closed-door dialogue at the Xavier Estates and Country Club this city Monday.
Mendoza is also a major stockholder of Oroport through its Opascor shares.
Oroport is a result of the merger between Opascor controlled by the Mendoza's and Inport held by the Neri-Siao family.
ALU-TUCP regional vice-president Nicandro Borja and Oroport management spokesperson Noel Tan separately sent text messages to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Monday that there was a peace agreement signed by their superiors.
Borja said there would still be a dialogue to be held Tuesday to discuss on the strike issues for the PPWU-ALU-TUCP workers.
"Magdialogue sila ug tiwas ug parte sa strike issues. Nagkasabot nga mag-storya ang union ug management. In the meantime, hold in abeyance ang welga. Mag-dialogue mi ugma 2:00 p.m.," Borja said.
Sincerity
Tan for his part sent a separate text message saying, "A peace accord was signed and negotiations are still ongoing."
The peace accord reads: "We, lawyer Democrito Menedoza, Sr., national president ALU-TUCP, Franklin Siao, president Oroport, after consultation with our respective counsels, have agreed and covenant to hold talks to explain and discuss the issues of unfair labor practice for the purpose of reaching mutually accepted solution."
The signatories include Mendoza, Siao and lawyers Jay Albarece for ALU-TUCP and Armando Kho for Oroport.
Witnesses include City Councilor lawyer Edgar Cabanlas, Borja and Opascor president lawyer Tomas Riveral.
In response to this initiative, PPWU-ALU-TUCP president Arturo Climaco and Borja agreed to defer any action on their planned strike and "focus our efforts for a peaceful settlement."
The peace accord was the accommodation given by ALU leadership to the initiative of Cabanlas, as vice-chairman of the City Council's labor committee to exhaust all means to find a peaceful alternative to the PPWU-ALU-TUCP strike.
"By coming here today, we wanted to demonstrate our sincerity in our efforts to find an acceptable solution to the strike," Mendoza said in a statement.
"The ball is now with Oroport and whether they are equally sincere in finding a mutually acceptable solution to this problem," he added
No comment
Mendoza is a member of the Constitutional Commission (ConCom) appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to conduct the groundwork for proposed Charter changes.
According to TUCP spokesman Alex Aguilar, Mendoza has to absent himself from the ConCom's ongoing consultations in Cebu to honor the invitation of the City Council through Cabanlas.
Parallel initiatives also started Monday afternoon between the principals and lawyers of Opascor and Oroport, while similar talks between PPWU and the Oroport management will hold their talks Tuesday.
"The ball could go this way or that way," Mendoza clarified regarding the projected direction of the talks.
"We may either come up with mutually acceptable solutions to the corporate and labor issues facing Oroport, or we can continue with other initiatives which can satisfactorily address the issues infringing on the rights of our members, both workers and part-owners of Oroport," said Mendoza.
In a related development, workers alleged that Oroport management has released a P1 million-strike fund.
This was confirmed by Borja saying, "This P1 million strike is illegal kay gamiton mana para pag-hire ug mga scabs. Gawas giunay ang mga PPWU stockholders ana."
Tan for his part said Sunday night he could not comment on this P1 million fund as he was "instructed not to issue any comment" pending the peace negotiations.
(October 25, 2005 issue)
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