FIRST CONCILIATION GOES FUTILE

The first conciliation meeting between the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company and the labor unions, Lepanto Employees Union (LEU) and Lepanto Security Force Union (LSFU), both affiliated to NAFLU-KMU is futile according to the labor leaders.

Pablito Sicdoy, president of the LSFU said that “the conciliation did not result to any resolution of our demands and that the representatives of the management hard stance in not recalling the retrenchment is disappointing. Even when NCMB director suggested that the termination of the union officers and the workers with good standing be recalled, the management refused to agree.”

Manuel Binhaon, Jr., president of the LEU said that the “LCMC management is suggesting to bring the case to voluntary arbitration but we refused because it will prolong the case and we already had been into preventive mediation for two years now but the company continues to violate our collective bargaining agreement.” Binhaon said further that they will stand firm to defend their security of tenure, their wages and benefits.

Kilusang Mayo Uno-Cordillera, through its regional coordinator, Vicente Dilem, said that the continuing blatant violations of the LCMC on the collective bargaining agreement and the labor standards are clear indications of corporate greed. It is crushing down on the right to life of their workers and their families. The labor sector should stand firm to defend their rights. It would be recalled that both unions filed a notice of strike at the office of the National Conciliation Mediation Board on grounds of unfair labor practices and illegal retrenchment. Another conciliation meeting is set on November 23, 2010. # Leonida Tundagui