Quezon City — Over 2,500 employees from four (4) major institutions will benefit from a total of P373.9 million in collective bargaining agreement (CBA) packages, following the successful conciliation and mediation efforts of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB). The settlements were reached without the need for strikes, preserving industrial peace at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERM), Lyceum of the Philippines University – Manila (LPU), and United Pulp and Paper Co., Inc. (UPPC).  These concerted agreements were finalized on May 20, May 6, April 24, and May 14 respectively.

UST: Resolving Longstanding Concerns on Shares from previous Tuition Fee Increase

Following a deadlock after numerous negotiations on its 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the University of Santo Tomas Faculty Union filed a Notice of Strike on March 25, 2025. This stemmed from a standstill on 11 items for some of the provisions of their CBA, paired with the unreleased faculty’s share from tuition fee increases (TFIs) amounting to more than P220 million from 2020 to 2023, as well as concerns over hospitalization benefits, expanded vacation leave for non-teaching staff, and the tertiary rank upgrade fund.

The stalemate was finally resolved on May 20, 2025. The newly established economic package secures a total economic package of P294.7 million comprising P220 million coming from TFI shares and P74.7 million from non-TFI shares benefitting around 1,600-1,700 faculty members. 

The conclusion of the new CBA symbolizes the resolution of past challenges and a commitment to future collaboration, and growth in the years ahead.

UERM: A Breakthrough in Labor Talks Leads to Settlement

The University of the East Employees’ Union (UEEA-FFW) filed a Notice of Strike on March 13, 2025 to address the issue on CBA bargaining deadlock with the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center. The filing arose from an unresolved impasse over 11 economic provisions in their CBA, which covers the period from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027.

The deadlock involved issues on salary increases, signing bonus, educational benefits, industrial peace bonus, and salary loans.

After a series of conciliation conferences facilitated by NCMB, the parties reached a mutually beneficial settlement on May 6, 2025. The estimated economic package for the agreed period amounts to ₱42.4 million benefiting 601 employees.

LPU: A system-wide issue Long Imposed Amended

A Notice of Strike was filed on March 26, 2025, in hopes of breaking the impasse in the CBA negotiations between the Lyceum Faculty Association and the Lyceum of the Philippines University. The parties’ bargaining deadlock arose from 16 economic items, most notably the university’s long-standing mandatory retirement policy, implemented since 1978.

As conciliation conferences were held, significant progress was made decreasing the number of deadlocked items, from 16 to six. While the items proposed by management were accepted by the Union at the April 14 meeting, the retirement issue remained up in the air.

A breakthrough was achieved on April 22, 2025, when both parties agreed to amend the retirement provision to allow flexibility for employees under 50 who reach 20 years of service.  

Improvements were recognized by the Union, and on April 24, 2025, both parties agreed to settle, successfully concluding their CBA benefitting 38 union members with up to P4 million in monetary gains.

UPPC: Better wages usher in a more peaceful workplace

At UPPC, wage disputes led to the filing of a Notice of Strike on April 2, 2025.  After a series of conferences, both the Union and the Management found a resolution to their disagreements on May 14, 2025.

This agreement not only settles the bargaining deadlock but also ushers in a new future for UPPC and its employees—as the improving industrial peace in the company would foster continuous growth for both parties.

The CBA for the period of January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2027 benefits 196 employees and represents a nearly P32.8 million package for the first three (3) years. The CBA signing is set for the first week of June 2025, marking a significant achievement for both union and management of UPPC.

Stable workplace relations 

As these new CBAs are set to take effect, both the workers and the management of all four establishments are poised to enter a new phase of stability and harmony in the workplace.

These successful CBA resolutions were made possible by the NCMB’s unrelenting conciliation-mediation services—a key component of the Department of Labor and Employment’s alternative dispute resolution services. 

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