Region 1 - Giving in to the other side may not necessarily be equated to a loss. It may even spell victory indeed.

 

The Pangasinan Savings and Loan Bank Employees Union proved one more time that cool heads get things done a lot smoother than heated verbal arguments.

 

"It was such a tranquil negotiation,"NCMB-RB1 OIC Director Helena R. FLores said, who teamed up with RCMB-CAR OIC Director Brenda Rose C. Odsey in settling the issues. "It was ironical to the usually expected heated exchange of arguments towards an inevitable Collective Bargaining Deadlock."

 

The Union filed a Preventive Mediation Case on February 20, 2013 due to a Collective Bargaining Deadlock. The said deadlock was due to unresolved issues on wage increase, retirement plan, loyalty award and signing bonus.

 

The next day saw the Union president, Mr. Alberto B. Enriquez, together with four other union officers, being joined by ALU-TUCP representative Mr. Sofriano M. Mataro in a conference where they met with GM Mario P. Gabrillo and Asst. GM Anne Q. De Guzman.

 

During the said conference, GM Gabrillo humbly presented the management's proposal to the Union. In return, the latter respectfully accepted the proposal subject to presentation to and approval by the union general membership.

 

The parties met again on February 27, 2013 at Pangasinan Bank, Mangaldan,Pangasinan. Perhaps it was not the usual case to see the Union conceding to the management's end of the bargain. But, indeed, it was. The former accepted everything the other offered, to wit:

 

    1. Retirement Plan

     a) Compulsory Retirement - 60 years old or has rendered 25 years of service with the bank is             entitled to a retirement pay of 33 days for every year of service;

        b) 15 - 20 years of service - 30 days; and

       c) 14 years and below including optional retirement - 25 days

   2. Wage increase

       a) 4th year - P200 effective January 1, 2013

       b) 5th year - P100 effective January 1, 2014

  3. Loyalty Award- 15 years of service (P1,500)

  4. Goodwill Bonus (new term for their signing bonus) - P800 to all employees of the bank

 

The goodwill bonus which the management offered was at P500 countered by the Union at P1,000. So both parties settled at the above amount for compromise.

 

With the deadlock settled peacefully, the bank's CBA signing is set on March 18, 2013 at Pangasinan Bank Inc., Mangaldan, Pangasinan.

 

A total of P400,000 worth of economic package was negotiated for the 4th and 5th year of their Collective Bargaining Agreement.

 

The Union's end of the bargain may not have prevailed but it could not be spelled as a loss either. What is clear is the fact that neither lost anything but both did gain something. That is how we spell industrial peace.

(Lester B. Panem)