Saturday, January 12, 2008 Labor vows to resolve row between Skyway management, workers
THE dispute between the management and labor unions of Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC)-Skyway Corporation will be resolved soon as both parties agreed to submit their respective arguments for arbitration to the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
With this, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion assured that they are going to resolve the labor problem of the rank and file as well as Traffic Management Unions within the month.
The parties were directed to submit their respective position papers simultaneously on January 18, 2008 and their replies on January 22, 2008 for the early resolution of the dispute.
Upon the submission of their positions, the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) will deliberate the arguments and eventually decide on the case.
The labor dispute started after another company, the Skyway Operations and Management Corporation (Somco), took over the operations of the Skyway, being the new operator it may result in the displacement of employees of the previous operator who would not be absorbed by the former Skyway operator.
On December 28, 2007, the employees filed a Notice of Strike on the grounds of unfair labor practices before the NCMB-National Capital Region (NCR).
After the filing of the notices and prior to the scheduled conciliation meeting at the NCMB-NCR, some union officers and members staged protest actions at the portion of the PNCC Skyway.
The labor department intervened in the dispute and scheduled a marathon conciliatory hearing to preserve industrial peace and in order not to disrupt the operations of South Luzon Expressway (Slex), particularly along the Skyway.
Since the case is pending, the labor department activated the Adjustment Measures Program, which is aimed at providing immediate assistance to displaced workers.
"We simply want affected workers to know that our social protection program is ready for them as soon as they decide to come under its coverage. We are now acting on three levels. First at the Office of the Secretary for the Notice of Strikes filed by the security and rank and file unions; second at the NCMB on the preventive mediation the supervising union initiated; and third at the Regional Office level for an adjustment measures program," he said. (FP/Sunnex)
