In Davao City, NCMB facilitates settlement of Brokenshire College dispute; 69 union members get P600,000 in monetary benefits
Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday announced that the National Conciliation and Mediation Board in Region 11 has facilitated the settlement of a preventive mediation case involving the Brokenshire College and its union, Brokenshire College Faculty and Staff Union, with the dispute ending to a grant of P600,000 in monetary benefits to the union’s 69 members.
Baldoz, citing the report of NCMB executive director Reynaldo Ubaldo, said the 69 rank and file employee union-members filed a preventive mediation case on 13 March, citing unfair labor practice, specifically for non-implementation of various provisions their collective bargaining agreement.
“Given the continuous and consistent approach of the NCMB in using conciliation-mediation as a means of settling disputes, the settlement of the preventive mediation case has certainly benefited the College, its management, and the union members with an assurance of continuous operation and harmonious work relationship,” Baldoz said.
“Conciliation-mediation allows parties to a dispute to settle their conflict before it becomes unmanageable,” she added.
The Brokenshire College Faculty and Staff Union, an affiliate of the Association of Democratic Labor Organizations-Kilusang Mayo Uno (ADLO-KMU), and the management of the College mutually agreed to a settlement on 27 March after a series of conciliation conferences facilitated by Director Paciano L. Murro of the NCMB-Regional Branch No. 11.
The tertiary educational institution, located at Madapo Hills, Davao City, employs 150 employees, and is represented by school president, Rev. R. Naïve., Ph.D. On the other hand, the union is represented by Rodne T. baslot, union president.
The settlement agreement called for the parties to abide with the 1 November 2012 CBA effectivity as to the computation of economic provisions.
It also provides the union members the following entitlement: (1) signing bonus of P500 per union member; (2) rice allowance balance of P550 per month per union member from November 2012 to June 2013; (3) pro-rated scholarship/discount for 17 identified union beneficiaries amounting to P147,500; (4) pro-rated vacation leave benefit to be given this summer; (5) implementation of overload by June 2013; and (6) voluntary resignation benefits which may be claimed by two concerned employees immediately. , The computation of the last three benefits will still be determined.
The management also committed to open the lines of communication and be transparent with the union. Following this, the management invited the union to a forum to discuss matters relating to financial standing of the school.
“I acknowledge the participation of the concerned parties in the resolution of their dispute which could bring about positive changes, not just for the company, but also for the workers. It will result to a healthy labour relations environment that will encourage productivity and workplace harmony,” Baldoz observed.
“The NCMB’s conciliatory and mediatory capacity is for the purpose of assisting parties to a dispute to reach an equitable agreement and to lay down the best possible solutions available,” she added.
Secretary Baldoz expressed confidence that with the harmonious joint participation of the management and the workers and the ideal and custom-fit expertise of NCMB conciliators and mediators, any dispute could have flexible solutions even for unforeseen situations.
“I urged companies and workers to shy away from the long process of resolving labour dispute through purely legalistic manner, as this is the Western way. The Asian way is through conciliation and mediation which is less time-consuming, less confrontational, and less costly,” she explained.
End/Stella
