National Conciliation and Mediation Board Executive Director IV Reynaldo R. Ubaldo today announced the settlement of the labor dispute at Packing Plant 340 Golden Coop/Sumifru in Brgy. Osmena, Compostela, Compostela Valley Province.

Citing a report from Regional Conciliation and Mediation Branch XI Officer-in-Charge Paciano Murro, Ubaldo said the parties reached settlement on October 7, 2013, thru the efforts of conciliator-mediator Ma. Theresa M. Francisco.

On July 29, 2013, the Nagkakahiusang Mamumuo sa San Jose (NAMASAN), an affiliate of NAFLU-KMU, filed a Preventive Mediation case with RCMB XI for unfair labor practice specifically non-payment of wages and forced implementation of piece-rate wage system.

“The workers resisted the implementation of a piece rate system and were demanding to restore the usual practice of daily/hourly rate,” Ubaldo said.

“Because the union resisted the computation of the workers’ salaries on a piece rate basis, the manpower contractor of Sumifru failed to release  the salaries and wages of the workers,” Ubaldo further said.

The parties then agreed during the con-med proceedings to request RTWPB XI to conduct a time and motion study to determine whether the piece rate scheme is in accordance with a fair days’ work.

Meanwhile, the parties agreed to grant a cash advance of P300/day to the affected workers while the case is yet pending.

On October 7, 2013, after a series of conferences the parties finally agreed to settle with the following terms and conditions:

1)      The Management shall set aside the piece-rate wage system and shall convert to hourly/daily rate wage system effective September 9-21, 2013 payroll period onwards; and

2)      SUMIFRU Management assured the union of the speedy processing of the cash differential on back wages of the 57 affected workers amounting to  P615,000.00.

SUMIFRU thereafter requested  the RTWPB XI  to discontinue the conduct of TMS since the hourly/daily rate wage scheme has been restored.

Reynaldo R. Ubaldo commended conciliator-mediator Ma. Theresa M. Francisco for her focused and pro-active effort in facilitating the settlement of the dispute.

Packaging 340 Golden Coop/Sumifru is engaged in banana packing and is located at Barangay Osmena , Cospostela , Comval Province.  It has 77 employees.

Nagkakahiusang Mamumuo sa San Jose (NAMASAN) represents for collective bargaining the 77 rank and file  employees of the company, all of which are union members.   It is headed by its president, Mr. Joel N. Cuyos.
END/Diadema A. Aguirre and William E. Calina