CEBU CITY – At least 500 officials and employees of the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corp. (Opascor) have signified their intention to cut ties with one of the country’s biggest labor groups.
A total of 38 supervisory and 410 rank-and-file employees of Opascor sought to disaffiliate from the Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).
In a statement, the disgruntled Opascor employees said their decision to leave ALU-TUCP stemmed from “years of frustration with how its leadership runs the affairs of the organization.”
“Thus, despite our fears of its powers, its acts of harassment and intimidation, we stand united on our decision to dissociate ourselves fom the said federation,” the employees said.
The employees said they were made to pay ALU-TUCP monthly union dues of P390 to P500.
“Despite our huge union dues, we could not recall receiving any assistance from the federation during the pandemic and during this time when the company is facing stiff competition and a reduced volume of cargoes,” the employees said.
The employees alleged that while they have not been receiving assistance, they received reports that an official of ALU-TUCP has managed to own a resort in Caliraya, Batangas province and Pangasinan as well as a house in the United States.
The employees also soughtvto revoke Opascor’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with ALU-TUCP.
Once a new CBA is made, the Opascor employees demanded that ALU-TUCP would no longer be part of it.
The Associated Labor Unions Central Visayas Region (ALU-CVR) said it was surprised with the decision of the Opascor employees.
ALU-CVR Regional Vice President Atty. Zeus Manabag said they would check if a consultation was made and the move to disaffiliate was approved, especially that the president of the rank-and-file union had yet to sign the board resolution.
"As to their complaint of dissatisfaction in our services, I am completely surprised because the members of both the supervisory and the rank-and-file local unions in Opascor are being given full support by the federation whenever they ask for assistance. Recently, ALU provided both the supervisory and the rank-and-file local unions technical assistance during the renewal of their CBAs. We were always there when they had concerns," said Manabag.