The Department of Labor and Employment has assumed jurisdiction over the dispute between Central Negros Electric Cooperative’s management and employees, which has averted a looming strike.
The CENECO Union of Rational Employees (CURE) members had voted 291-10 to strike citing management’s failure to implement their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and a seven-day cooling period before a strike can be staged ended on Monday, February 7.
CENECO’s management filed a request before the DOLE for it to assume jurisdiction over the dispute and was confident that the strike would 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 earlier.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, with DOLEs assumption of jurisdiction of the dispute, halted the staging of a strike.*