Salcon union urged to exercise "sobriety"

CEBU, Philippines - Amidst a looming strike by members of the Salcon Power Independent Union, Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong yesterday met with the union members and urged that they be extra patient in resolving the problems with management.

Chiong said he called for the dialogue, considering that most the union’s members are residents of Naga City.

The union has released fillers it would go on a strike if the management of SPC Power Corporation would not implement the Rehab/Operate/Management Agreement.

They said a strike would cut the supply of electricity to many places in the country. The power plant is supplying power to several parts of the Philippines at 190 megawatts.

Yesterday, the union asked Chiong to channel their grievances to the management, after a dialogue with the company reportedly did not yield positive results.

SPIU had contended that the ROMM Agreement is a 15-year rehab/operate/management contract between NPC and SPC and SPC should recognize the employees’ completion of their employment contract by May 29, 2009 and subsequently give them separation pay.

Following the amendment of the agreement in 2004, which extends ROMM to 2012, the management has since insisted that the employee tenure is automatically extended because their employment contracts are co-terminus with their ROMM Agreement.

The management said if the employees would be considered resigned if they leave the company before 2012.

Union members are demanding that the issue should be resolved before May 29, 2009 and for SPC to recognize their completion of their employment contract and give them separation pay.

They contended that they should be entitled to full separation pay even if they leave the company on May 29, 2009, or whatever would be agreed at the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Like Chiong, the management of SPC Power Corporation also called for union members “to exercise calm, sobriety and sacrifice as Cebuanos brace for the adverse impact of the global economic crisis.”

In a statement to The FREEMAN, Alfredo Ballesteros, SPC Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, said the hostile actions of the union would only worsen the impact of the global crisis on Cebu.

Ballesteros contended that the SPC employees are “not destitute” because they enjoy above-average pay and benefits compared to other employees in Cebu, even those in call centers.— Christopher Gabriel Bonjoc and Mitchelle Palaubsanon/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)