Lepanto Employees Union maintains leadership

The Lepanto Employees Union-National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (LEU-NAFLU-KMU) won the certification election over the Lepanto Rank-and-File Employees Union-National Mines and Allied Workers Union-International Federation of Chemical, Energy and Mines General Workers' Union (LRFEU-NAMAWU-ICEM) last November 17, 2007 at the Lepanto National High School. LEU got 863 votes while LRFEU got 428. There are 6 votes for no union and 7 spoiled ballots.

LEU-NAFLU-KMU President Manuel Binhaon welcomed the election results and vowed to continue the fight for their 24th Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the management of the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMCo).

"The overwhelming support of our members in the union gave us more confidence and strength to push for our CBA. With the election finished, we, the officers can now focus more on future activities of the union and the welfare of the general membership. We shall not fail them," Binhaon added.

The first round of CBA negotiations was tentatively scheduled on November 24.

Last November 5, the LEU officers submitted their CBA proposal to the management but due to the pending Petition for Certification Election (PCE) filed by the LRFEU on October 3, the union decided to face the said petition first. The CE was agreed upon by the two unions in a clarificatory hearing on November 8 at the office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Just after the LEU was proclaimed winner in the CE, the officers of the LRFEU said they would file a formal election protest but failed to explain the bases. As of press time no formal protest was filed. # Aldwin Quitasol-KMU-Cordillera