Davao banana farm strike settled

THE LABOR problem in one of the biggest cavendish banana growers and exporter in Davao was settled recently with the signing of an agreement between management and the firm’s workers’ union, the regional labor office reported yesterday.

The Regional Mediation and Coordination Board (RCMB) resolved the dispute in weeks of conciliation conferences between Musahamat Farms Incorporated and the Musahamat Workers Labor Union – NAFLU-KMU.

The strike was prompted by the union’s complaint of unfair labor practice against management following the transfer of two of the union’s board of directors to other department.

Starting as a case for preventive mediation last February, it matured to a full blown strike in early April but marathon conciliation meetings resulted to early settlement of the dispute two weeks into the strike.

The management agreed to reinstate to their previous positions union board members Mario Alfonso and Dionisio Gultia.

As part of the settlement, labor and management also agreed that the wage scheme of workers will be based on hourly rate and that harvesters shall be paid based on the eight-hour scheme which started last week.

The parties likewise agreed, among others, to immediately implement wage adjustments under Wage Order No. RTWPB-XI-19, as well as to resolve in the labor-management cooperation all remaining issues like income deduction/refund, and harvesters’ compensation system.

In his report to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, DOLE Region 11 Director Raymundo Agravante said the management and union of Musahamat Farms, Inc. also agreed to strictly observe the duly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement and existing company policy.

Musahamat, located in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, employs 252 workers, all members of the union affiliated with the National Federation of Labor Unions- KMU.