If Kepco plant shuts down, additional power for Cebu can be tapped from Luzon
NO LUCK. Lowell Sanchez (at right back), union president accompanied by officers of the Alliance of Progressive Labor as they walk out of a room after meeting with the management of Korean Power Corp. at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) office. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
NO agreement was reached yesterday between labor and management representatives of power producer Kepco-SPC even after a conciliation meeting that lasted seven hours.
“It is bad news,” Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) spokesman Dennis Derige told reporters as he emerged from the closed-door meeting with management representatives at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) regional office in Cebu City.
Terminated supervisor Lowell Sanchez said Kepco representatives couldn’t decide for the management and have to wait for advice from the top management in Korea.
Derige and Sanchez, along with labor representative to the regional wage board Jose Tumongha, represented the two workers’ unions in Kepco-SPC.
The Kepco-SPC management was represented by lawyer Christian Lledo, human resources manager Mira Bigayan and assistant human resources manager Judith de Leon.
Asked about the outcome of the meeting, de Leon said the company would let its press relations department handle comments.
Edmundo Mirasol, NCMB regional director, said another conciliation meeting will be held today, May 1, a regular holiday.
“We can’t say if this is the final meeting because we really want to end up with an agreement that will benefit both parties,” he said.
Kepco management on Monday wrote Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz urging her to step in and assume jurisdiction over the dispute, saying a strike threat to a “national interest” industry such as power generation is serious.
As of press time, it was not known whether Baldoz has acted on the management’s petition. She will be among the Cabinet members accompanying President Benigno S.C. Aquino III here today.
Kepco-SPC operates two 100-megawatt coal-fired power plants in Naga, the biggest single generating unit in Cebu. The plant accounts for about a third of Cebu’s generating capacity and supplies power to utilities and electric cooperatives across the Visayas.
PREPARED
The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, which transmits electricity from power plants to distribution utilities throughout the country, said it was prepared for a worst-case scenario.
If some Kepco workers go on strike and the power plant is shut down, NGCP spokesperson Ma. Rosette B. Martinez said they will get additional power from Luzon.
“Visayas (power) supply will be critical but, as usual, Luzon will augment supply in the Visayas. NGCP is prepared for the worst-case scenario,” she said in a text message.
The Visayas grid had reserves of 136 MW yesterday. Demand peaked at 1,563 MW as against capacity of 1,750 MW.
The rank-and-file and supervisory unions in Kepco filed a strike notice on April 8 over alleged unfair labor practices and union busting.
Both unions are not recognized by the management as the bargaining representative.
Derige of PM said the union expects 11 supervisors and 44 rank-and-file workers to join the strike. He said members account for about 40 percent of the 140 local employees of Kepco-SPC. The company also employs 12 expatriates.
Yestereday’s meeting at the NCMB included Dole 7 Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga and provincial lawyer Orvi Ortega.
Derige said the union was open to industrial peace, but they also want the management to respond to their demands.
Sanchez, for his part, said he was aware that the public would be affected if go on strike disrupt plant operations.
Sanchez was terminated for allegedly using company time to organize the rank-and-file employees. He received a notice of suspension on March 5 and a notice of termination on March 31.