Good News
November 2015

The National Conciliation and Mediation Board has settled the notice of strike filed by the Pilipino Cable Corporation Workers Union-Rizal against Pilipino Cable Corporation, OIC-Executive Director Shirley M. Pascual said today.

Pascual said the union filed the notice of strike on August 12, 2015 following an impasse in their negotiations for the economic provisions of the CBA, particularly salary increase, sick leave, vacation leave, service awards, longevity pay, HMO benefits, signing bonus and educational assistance.

“Immediately after the case was filed, RCMB-NCR called the parties to a series of conciliation conferences to settle the dispute amicably, but they remained firm in their positions,” Pascual said.

On September 8, 2015, the union conducted a strike vote referendum and submitted the result thereof on September 11, 2015, with majority of the union membership in favor of the strike.

Conciliator-Mediator Amorsolo V. Aglibut and Conciliator-Mediator George R. Ridad convened the parties again on September 14, 2015 and were able to convince the parties to agree on three major issues: HMO for additional dependents, signing bonus and longevity pay.

Management agreed to grant P45,000.00 HMO for additional dependents, longevity pay amounting to P1,260.00/year, and signing bonus of P8,000.00 per covered employee.

Three days later, the parties conducted a conciliation conference to complete the draft of the CBA.

“They agreed on salary increases of 1,200.00/month in 2014, P1,600.00/month in 2015, and P1,700/month in 2016,” Pascual said.

The company also agreed to grant 15 days sick leave and 15 days vacation leave annually for those who have worked with the company for 1-5 years, 19 days for those who have worked with the company for 6-15 years, and 20 days for those who have worked with the company for 16 years or more.

The management also agreed to grant service awards to those who have rendered 20 years of service consisting of cash grant amounting to P65,000.00 and a bracelet worth P15,000.00, to be given in 2019 or earlier.

The total economic package is estimated at P4.1 million.

Pascual commended Conciliator-Mediator Amorsolo V. Aglibut and Conciliator-Mediator George R. Ridad for guiding the parties toward a peaceful and mutually acceptable solution to their problem.

Pilipino Cable Corporation, located at ELJ Building., ABS-CBN Compound Quezon City, is engaged in CATV and Broadband Services. It has 35 employees and is headed by Mr. Carlo Katigbak.

Pilipino Cable Corporation Workers Union-Rizal, an affiliate of the Philippine Metal Workers Alliance, is the certified bargaining agent of the 26 rank-and-file workers in the bargaining unit, all of whom are union officers and members. It is represented by Domingo Cruz Jr., the union president.

END/ Gillian Pearl L. Guerrero