The National Conciliation and Mediation Board has opened the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor-Management Cooperation (LMC) and Grievance Machinery (GM) for Industrial Peace.

The launching of the twin search will be held via Zoom application on 30 April 2021. It will be attended by officials and employees of the NCMB and its social partners from the Philippine League of Labor Management Cooperation (PHILAMCOP) and Tripartite Voluntary Arbitration Advisory Council (TVAAC).

Since 1998, the Board has recognized the best practices and success stories of companies through the bi-annual search for LMC for Industrial Peace.

The Board, through the search, aims to intensify awareness on LMC best practices among organized and unorganized establishments.

It also aims to showcase the innovations brought by the cooperation of labor and management in minimizing the impact of COVID-19 and encourage social partners to improve workplace relations during the pandemic.

For this year, the Search for Outstanding LMC has been tagged as a special edition in recognition of LMCs that have remained focused and true to the very essence of the Search – cooperation and partnership – despite the COVID-19 pandemic that tested their significance and relevance amidst retrenchments and company closures. Dubbed as, “Responsiveness and Resilience in Times of Disruption: the 2021 Search for Outstanding Labor Management Cooperation” shall highlight the contribution of LMCs in improving workers’ welfare, sustaining corporate viability and enhancing harmonious labor-management relations during the pandemic.

The search is open to all organized and unorganized in small, medium, and large establishments registered with the appropriate government agencies. Nominees and applicants must also have an established LMC which has undertaken responsive measures in addressing the problems brought about by COVID-19 and have an LMC in existence at least since July 2020.

Aside from the LMC Award for Industrial Peace, the NCMB, in collaboration with the Tripartite Voluntary Arbitration Advisory Council (TVAAC), is also accepting nominations for the Search for Outstanding Grievance Machinery for Industrial Peace.

As in the past years, this year’s Search aims to highlight the contribution of GMs in enhancing labor-management relations towards company efficiency, productivity, competitiveness, and maintenance of industrial peace.

The search for outstanding GM is open to both organized and unorganized establishments with an existing functional grievance machinery or similar dispute resolution practices being implemented for the last three (3) years.

The nominee or applicant must not be a party to a pending labor standards case at any DOLE Regional Office or its attached agencies. It must not be a respondent to a pending case at the NCMB or its Regional Branches.

The Board, through its RCMBs, shall accept nominations for outstanding LMC and outstanding GM from 1 May 2021 until 30 June 2021.

Screening committees shall be constituted at the regional and national levels to screen and select the winners at appropriate levels and shortlist the same for endorsement to the National Board of Judges who in turn will select the National Winners.

The Board shall announce the winners for this twin Search on 15 December 2021 through an online awarding ceremony.

END/ Gillian Pearl L. Guerrero