Labor groups eye strike at start of APEC meet

CEBU, Philippines - The supervisors and rank and file unions of the Korean Power Corporation-Salcon Power Corporation in Naga City are determined to hold a strike on August 22 as the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference meetings begin here in Cebu.

Jose Tomongha, chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Labor-Sentro, said once the strike pushes through, there will be rotational brownouts, the same scenario when KSPC’s power plant caught fire two months ago.

The Kepco Cebu Supervisors Union and the Kepco Cebu Employees Association have filed a notice of strike. Majority of their members voted “yes” to strike.

KSPC legal counsel Alan Fontanosa warned that the strike will be illegal should it push through.

“Under the law, union officials and members who knowingly participated in an illegal strike can be a ground for dismissal,” Fontanosa said.

Fontanosa explained that they did not consider KCEA as the sole bargaining agent of the company for lack of certificate of recognition from the Department of Labor and Employment.

Meanwhile, KCSA is not recognized by the company as there was a failure on the part of the organization to get majority of the supervisors.

He said there are 34 supervisors and KCSA was only able to 15 as union members during the certification election.

“I hope they will follow the law,” Fontanosa said.

Both unions, according to Dennis Derige, spokesperson of the Partido ng Manggagawa-Cebu, will launch their series of protests starting Monday until August 20.

“Unya inig August 22, mag-strike na,” Derige said.

Fontanosa said he is sure that the management is preparing to avert possible rotational brownouts should the strike pushes through.

KSPC owns and operates a 200-megawatt modern coal-fired power plant in Naga and supplies power to the Visayas grid, mainly to the electric cooperatives of Cebu, Negros and Bohol. —Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (FREEMAN)