Central Negros Electric Cooperative is taking measures to avert a strike by its employees’ union and preparing contingency plans to prevent a halt in its services, its officials said Monday, January 31.
The CENECO Union of Rational Employees (CURE) members voted 291-10 to strike citing management’s failure to implement their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), its president Stephanie Montaner said, Sunday, January 30.
A seven-day cooling period is required after the voting before a strike can be staged.
CENECO’s management filed a request before the Department of Labor and Employment Monday for it to assume jurisdiction over the dispute and is confident that the strike will not be allowed because the cooperative provides a vital service to the public that cannot be hampered, Agnes Claro, manager of Ceneco’s institutional Services Department, said.
Ceneco officer-in-charge Jose Taniongon said if the strike pushes through they could hire a contractor to assume work to prevent a disruption of services.
Dennis Cortez, lawyer of the cooperative, said he believes there are grounds to consider a CURE strike illegal.
They are studying whether to file a petition for illegal strike because it appears that the CBA between between management and the union has a no strike clause, although under the law there are some exemptions, Cortes said.
Taniongon reiterated that the CBA was approved at the Ceneco General Assembly on Sept. 26, 2021.
However, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) in a memo on January 20 advised the coop to first attain 95 percent collection efficiency before implementing the CBA.
Ceneco’s collection efficiency is currently at 92 percent.
He said their hands are tied by the NEA requirement but as soon as it is possible they will implement the CBA.
Ceneco president Jojit Yap said the union members know her heart is with them and she is appealing to them not to strike now.
She said Ceneco‘s collections have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and typhoon “Odette” caused more than P21 million in losses.
As soon as the cooperative hits 95 percent collection efficiency the board will immediately release their CBA demands, Yap assured.*