Officers of the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines in Cebu were taken out of the terminal compound the Ceres bus terminal in Dumaguete after management discovered that they were actually convincing employees to unionize with them and were using private property without permission.
The group, headed by Jose Albeso and Danilo Ipil, discreetly found their way inside the Vallacar Transit Inc. terminal in Barangay Calindagan, Dumaguete City when they were accosted by security personnel.
Albeso explained they came here to avail of the so-called “freedom period,” which is provided for under the Labor Code.
ALU-TUCP district officer Felizardo Calimpong explained the existing CBA of Ceres bus employees is set to expire on Feb. 23, 2012. Under the freedom period, two months before the expiration of a CBA, any other labor union may enter and may file a petition for certification election. In this case, it should be on or before February 23, he said.
The Cebu ALU-TUCP officers were apologetic for their actions, but Calimpong stressed they have not violated anything in trying to explain to the divers, conductors and other employees what are their rights and other benefits that they need to know and avail of under the present dispensation.
Calimpong said he did not like the statement of the manager when he said that he will have them picked up by the police if they will not get out of the terminal.
The present employees union is under the Philippine Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial Workers Union. (PNA/JFP/Juancho Gallarde)
