VECO union threatens to go on strike
Members of the Visayan Electric Company Employees Union have threatened to go on a labor strike should the management refuse to heed their call for a salary increase.
VECO, in a statement, however, assured its customers and stakeholders that the ongoing labor issue between the management and its employees’ union will not affect the company’s operations and services.
Rolando Jimenez, union president, told The FREEMAN yesterday that negotiations on their collective bargaining agreement started in March this year and it was initially agreed that economic provisions like free hospitalization, free one sack of rice monthly, insurance coverage, among others, be given to the union members.
But the negotiations have been mired in a deadlock as VECO has not granted their request for a nine percent increase in their salaries or P9,100 staggered for five years.
Jimenez said that at first, the management only wanted to raise their monthly salaries by 3.5 percent. The figure was eventually raised to four percent during later negotiations.
The union, with a total membership of 157 composed mainly of linemen and other rank-and-file employees, is now haggling for a 5.5 percent increase.
“Kung buot huna-hunaon, gamay ra kaayo na ang increase nga among gipangayo as compared sa income sa kompanya,” Jimenez said.
He warned that if the deadlock is extended, the union has no other recourse but to go on a strike.
“Di gyud mi gusto mag-strike pero og di gyud magkasinabot, mapugos gyud mi,” he said.
For his part, VECO chief operating officer Anton Mari Perdices said the management offered a reasonable salary and benefit package to the union, something that is above what companies normally give employees, but the union wanted more.
Nevertheless, Perdices assured all VECO customers and stakeholders that VECO’s operations and its services will not be affected by whatever outcome of the ongoing mediation.