Lepanto mine workers picket DOLE; talks futile

By Leonida Tundagui

BAGUIO CITY – Labor union members of the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. picketed the National Conciliation and Mediation Board regional office here Thursday even as a conciliation meeting between LCMC management and workers proved futile.

This, after labor unions of the mining company earlier filed notices of strike at the regional NCMC office here on grounds of unfair labor practices and illegal retrenchment.

Another conciliation meeting was set on Nov. 23 and if no agreement would be reached by LCMC management and union leaders, the latter might push through with their strike.

Pablito Sicdoy, president of the Lepanto Security Force Union said “conciliation did not result to any resolution of our demands as management maintained hard stance in not recalling the retrenchment of workers.”

Sicdoy said this was disappointing even as the NCMB director suggested the termination of union officers and workers with good standing be recalled.

Still, LCMC management reportedly refused to agree.

Manuel Binhaon, Jr., president of the LEU said the “LCMC management suggested to bring the case to voluntary arbitration but we refused because it will prolong the case and we already had been into preventive mediation for two years now but the company continues to violate our collective bargaining agreement.”

He added the unions will stand firm in defending their security of tenure, wages and benefits.

The LEU and SLFU are both affiliated to National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusng Mayo Uno.

Vicente Dilem, regional coordinator of KMU-Cordillera, said “the continuing blatant violations of the LCMC on the collective bargaining agreement and the labor standards are clear indications of corporate greed. It is crushing down on the right to life of their workers and their families. The labor sector should stand firm to defend their rights.”