TV5 union fears Dole resumption of jurisdiction

 

FEARING of "intrusion" from Malacanang, the Associated Broadcasting Company Employees Union (ABCEU) on Thursday sounded the alarm over the possible issuance of an Assumption of Jurisdiction by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) in the former's ongoing labor dispute with the management of broadcast giant, TV5.

In a statement, the workers' union of TV5 said they will not be surprised if the Dole issues such an order on their pending Notice of Strike (NOS) if only to follow the wishes of Malacanang.

"During conciliation hearings, it was impressed upon the Union panel that the mighty power in Malacañang Palace has already expressed interesting concern over the Union's NOS and the conciliator was given a directive that all must be done by Dole to fix the situation and prevent the NOS from fully erupting," said the ABCEU.

During Dole's 86th anniversary celebration last year, President Rodrigo Duterte lauded the agency over the stable industrial peace climate in the country and urged the labor officials to aim for "zero strikes" this year.

The ABCEU, however, expressed hopes that the Dole will not do just that.

"It now becomes imperative to remind the Dole of its obligation to assist workers and never to make a mockery of their rights by taking away the right of the Union to conduct a strike by issuing an Assumption of Jurisdiction Order, which the Union stands to defy," said the ABCEU.

It can be recalled that the ABCEU had filed a Notice of Strike (NOS) before the Dole last December 2019 after their prolonged negotiations with TV5 management bogged down.

Subsequently, the labor department conducted conciliation efforts, with the ABCEU claiming it has only be the party that has shown interest in coming up with an amicable solution.

But according to the union, it is only them that have shown interest in finding common grounds with the management and prevent a strike.

"The Management panel's positions remain to be substantially unchanged whereas the Union panel has made quite a lot of significant downgraded movements in order to meet the Management panel's unyielding offers," said the ABCEU.

Sources from the TV5 union disclosed that based on the unofficial count of the strike vote held last February 10, majority of the 635-strong union is in favor of going on strike.

We must be allowed to conduct a peaceful strike as it is our constitutional right recognized even by the international community," declared the ABCEU.