The management of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative said it hopes to reach a settlement with the unionized employees during their second round of negotiations at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board on Feb. 7, on the release of salary increase and other benefits pending for more than a year now.
Ceneco OIC general manager, Engr. Jose Taniongon, said they are willing to discuss with the union for a possible settlement to avert the labor strike that has been scheduled next week.
On Saturday, the “yes to strike” garnered an overwhelming support from more than 300 members of the Ceneco Union of Rank and File Employees (CURE).
The first negotiation Thursday resulted in deadlock after the two parties failed to reach any settlement after five hours of talks.
The management offered that once the electric cooperative reaches the 95 percent collection efficiency, it will immediately release a portion of the Collective Negotiation Agreement signing bonus of the employees.
If in five months the cooperative can sustain the 95 percent collection efficiency, then the management will release all the remaining benefits of the employees, Taniongon said.
He added that the labor union, headed by its president, Stephanie Montaner, asked that the collection efficiency rate be lowered. But he explained that it is the National Electrification Administration that sets the collection efficiency rate.
The second round of negotiations on Monday will be crucial as both parties also want to reach a peaceful solution so that the workers will no longer proceed with their strike that will affect the operations of the cooperative, he added.
The effectivity of the proposed strike will be on Feb. 8, following the seven-day period of notification to the management with the submission of the result of the strike vote conducted on Jan. 29, Taniongon said. — MML
