Tuesday, March 18, 2008 Conciliation with port workers grows dim By Victor L. Camion
A LAWYER for Prudential Customs Brokerage Services, Inc. said the "window of opportunity" for conciliation with striking port workers is "slowly closing."
Lawyer Joel Obar in a text message Monday said Prudential has expressed dismay over the strike staged by port workers affiliated with the Associated Labor Union-Trade Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).
Prudential is the new cargo-handling operator at the Dumaguete City port.
The strike Obar referred to occurred Thursday last week. Although conciliation talks between Prudential and ALU-TUCP port workers were scheduled that day, the union went on strike because it assumed that management was not sending a representative. What happened was Obar, the management representative, came in an hour late because of a prior engagement.
Over a hundred port workers staged a picket at the port entrance and exit gate.
The union secured a notice of strike as early as two weeks ago when told that the new cargo operator would not absorb the original port workers.
The strikers blocked PCBSI's personnel from coming into the port area.
Striking workers later allowed them entry to the port after initial talks between ALU-TUCP provincial coordinator Felizardo Calimpong and Obar.
Obar asked union members to understand his failure to arrive at the negotiating table on time because of a court hearing.
He also promised to ask management to reopen conciliation talks that will be presided over by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) in Central Visayas.
NCMB Regional Director Edmundo Mirasol said he is just waiting for the conflicting parties to come back to the negotiating table.
Obar and PCBSI officials are still in Manila, though. "I feel sorry about it but I am not giving up," said Obar.
He explained that he would not stop asking PCBSI officials to negotiate with union members.
However, he said the problem with the Dumaguete port is it's being ruled by the mob. "Social justice is only for the deserving and should not be used to disregard law and order," he added.
Calimpong said he would not comment on Obar's statement unless he hears it with his own ears.
Mirasol, on the other hand, admitted the problem is not easy but he will not stop trying to find solution.
The NCMB regional director is optimistic that both parties will meet and agree on a possible solution to the problem.
