No strikes during summer, Energy chief asks power plant workers

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla has appealed to unionized employees of a Cebu power plant to defer any strike or protest action they intend to launch at least until the dry season is over.

 

Last week, some members of the plant's union filed a notice of strike following a labor dispute. Union members said there were attempts at union-busting with the supposed firing of some union officers.

 

Petilla asked the union members of the KEPCO-SPC Power Corp. to consider the public interest and the tight power supply, which would be affected should they opt to strike this summer, GMA Cebu's Nikko Sereno reported on Monday.

 

"Kung pwede sana, walang strike lalo na ngayon na summer. Ito ang pinakamalaking konsumo ngayong taon," he said at a national assembly of the Barangay Councilors' League of the Philippines.

 

KEPCO SPC said it is finding ways to address the employees' concerns. It also assured power supply will not be affected by the dispute.

 

"The issues are still ongoing at the conciliation at the (National Conciliation and Mediation Board) and management is exerting all efforts to arrive at a reasonable resolution of the issues raised by the union(s). Management will also exert utmost efforts in ensuring that the continued reliable supply of power to the grid will not be adversely affected by the ongoing labor dispute," the plant's management said.  — Joel Locsin/ELR, GMA News