An employee in a beverage company claimed P900,000 in retirement benefits on 01 August 2022 through the successful intervention of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board through the Single Entry Approach (SEnA) Program. 

The complainant filed a Request for Assistance (RFA) with the Regional Conciliation and Mediation Branch (RCMB) III to demand the proceeds of his retirement benefits in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the company and its union. 

The filing party worked as a supervisor for eight years and four months in the  beverage manufacturing plant in the country. 

During the conciliation-mediation conference, the management informed the requesting party that the subject CBA forms part of a decision made by a Labor Arbiter of the National Labor Relations Commission that is still being appealed by the company with the Supreme Court. The subject CBA is not yet adopted by the company. 

The filer signified its intent to withdraw from the worker beneficiaries of the CBA subject of the appealed case and requested for the company to improve its offered compensation. 

Despite the management being firm in its decision in awaiting for the case to reach finality of judgment before taking on the CBA, it heeded the request of the filer to improve its offer.

On 08 July 2022, management informed the requesting party and the RCMB III that the appeal to improve its offered retirement benefits has been approved. The payment was received by the filer on 01 August 2022 in the presence of the handling SEnA Desk Officer of  RCMB III. 

The SEnA Program is a speedy, impartial, inexpensive and accessible means of settling labor issues or conflicts arising from employer-employee relations. It is an administrative procedure that provides for a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation of labor issues with the Department of Labor and Employment serving as the neutral third party. 

Individuals who are interested in availing of the the SEnA Program may file a Request of Assistance through the DOLE’s attached agencies such as the National Conciliation and Mediation Board and its Regional Offices.  An Online SENA Filing System is also available as an alternative means for clients in filing requests for assistance anytime and anywhere nationwide.  It can be accessed at the Board’s official website, ncmb.gov.ph. 

END/ Gillian Pearl L. Guerrero