DOLE: RP business climate still good despite strike notices

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday said the business and investment climate in the country remains favorable despite surges in work stoppages.

"The climate for economic and business activity as well as job-friendly investments continue to be vibrant and favorable in the country," Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said.

Sto. Tomas attributed the prevailing favorable business climate to the continuing and stable industrial peace in the country’s workplaces.

Although the government recorded a higher number of strikes this year compared to 2004, Sto. Tomas said the incidence of work stoppages remained at a low level.

"Strike incidence remains way below 50, making this year still one with the lowest strike levels in two decades," she said.

So far, the DOLE has recorded 24 strikes or work stoppages from January to September. The figure was 41 percent higher than the 17 work stoppages recorded during the same period last year.

Labor Undersecretary for labor relations Manuel Imson also noted that of the 361 strike notices filed before the DOLE from January to Sept. 15, only 24 developed into full-blown strikes.

"As a result of the conciliation and mediation by the DOLE-National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB), 70 percent of the notices of strike were settled (amicably) and prevented from materializing into strikes," he said.

Imson also expressed confidence that the remaining strike notices pending before the DOLE will be settled soon.

Imson also reported that DOLE-NCMB had successfully settled the labor disputes between the workers and management of two major hospitals in the country.

He said the settlement resulted in a P356-million collective bargaining agreement (CBA) package that would benefit about 1,900 employees of St. Luke’s Hospital and P4.5 million financial benefits for 200 employees of United Doctors Medical Center (UDMC). — Mayen Jaymalin