THE supervisory and rank-and-file unions of the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corp. (Opascor) have disaffiliated from the Associated Labor Unions–Central Visayas Region (ALU-CVR), the country’s largest labor federation.
The announcement was made by Supervisory Union President Vivencio Ybañez Jr. and Rank-and-File Employees Union Secretary Michelle May D. Tamondong, who said the unions were cutting ties with ALU after years of affiliation.
In a press statement Monday, October 20, 2025, ALU-CVR said it respects the unions’ decision but questioned whether the general membership had been properly consulted before the disaffiliation was finalized.
“We will find out if the general membership of both local unions were consulted and gave their approval,” said Zeus R. Mabanag, ALU-CVR regional vice president.
Mabanag said the federation was surprised by the unions’ claims of dissatisfaction, stressing that ALU had consistently provided support, including technical assistance during the renewal of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
He said Opascor was established 30 years ago through ALU’s initiative as a workers’ enterprise, with the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) granting it exclusive cargo-handling operations at the Cebu International Port. ALU had previously fought for the renewal of Opascor’s contract when a past CPA leadership wanted to end the concession.
According to the federation, the current rift within the Opascor unions was allegedly being fueled by management interests amid reports that the company had lost about half of its business to a new cargo-handling service in Talisay City. ALU said management was taking advantage of the financial strain to dilute workers’ stock ownership for profit should Opascor close down.
Mabanag said ALU-CVR had long supported the Opascor unions by assisting in labor-management talks, grievance hearings, and welfare programs, including free medical and dental services for members and their families.
On claims that ALU withheld its signature from the unions’ latest CBA, the federation explained that it refused to sign the agreement because union officers approved a reduction of benefits by 20 to 35 percent under a cost minimization program without ratification from the members.
ALU said its Industrial Relations Officer Rosemie Baloran Escobal reminded the officers that such a decision required member consent, but they proceeded to sign the CBA without the federation’s concurrence.
“The federation refused to sign the CBA to safeguard the members’ rights and avoid legitimizing a reduction of benefits done without consultation,” Mabanag said.
The federation also denied accusations that it mishandled union funds, saying Opascor’s hospitalization and education funds were never remitted to ALU-CVR but were deposited directly to the unions’ local accounts under their CBAs.
Escobal said the officers admitted that they personally disbursed the funds for member assistance, prompting her to call for transparency and proper recordkeeping to prevent disputes.
Mabanag said it was unfair to blame ALU for the lack of educational programs since no education fund had been remitted by the unions to the federation.
ALU-CVR also recalled that the unions had earlier filed a notice of strike due to management’s failure to implement salary increases stipulated in their CBA for two consecutive years. The federation’s intervention reportedly resulted in the release of the employees’ unpaid salary differentials.
However, 11 members were later terminated, which ALU described as harassment meant to silence union supporters. Their cases are now pending before the Regional Arbitration Branch.
Mabanag said the federation remains committed to transparency and fairness and believes the divisions could have been avoided through genuine consultation among union members.
“If the will of the membership had been respected, none of these divisions would have arisen,” he said. “The federation will always stand on the side of fairness and the protection of workers’ benefits.” (KAL)