Resolving labor row: Silliman U union, admin sign CBA

CEBU, Philippines – After more than one year of negotiations, which earlier resulted in a labor strike, the Silliman University Faculty Union (SUFA), headed by Jan Credo, and the Silliman University administration, represented by President Dr. Ben Malayang III, on Thursday signed the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Credo said all the seven deadlock issues have been resolved, although they were not able to get everything about what they have actually demanded—like the P1,500 across the board salary increase, but SUFA agreed to settle with an amount that is in the best interest of the university.

After the CBA signing at the SU board room, the next step will be posting the agreement to be ratified by members of the CBA, which will run through the next five years, with a provision for renegotiation on the fourth and fifth year.

Credo explained both parties have reached the CBA through concessions by agreeing to improve its offer on the part of the administration and to reduce the demand on the part of the union.

Chief Negotiator Lawyer Sheila Catacutan Besario, of the administration side, confirmed that from their offer of a P63 million package, the improvement was more than P11 million, so the total package for the faculty is almost P75 million.

Besario explained the first offer was computed based on actual enrollment and based on projections. But during the strike, there was already enrollment for the first year and for the first semester, that’s why the administration was able to increase the offer without compromising the sustainability of the university.

Another contentious issue—resolved to the best interest of the university—is on the matter of the retirement package from 31 to 31.2 days, which SUFA believed is not anymore an inferior benefit.

SUFA members would have wanted to settle at 1.1 but they said it’s not yet the end, because they will be back to the negotiating table after the third year.

Under the new CBA, the union has agreed to receive P18,000 similar to a one-time bonus. For the second year, the agreed salary increase is P500 across the board, but with a P500 monthly allowance per faculty member and P1,600 for the third year or a total of P2,100 total adjustment after the third year.

As to the liquidity reserve of the university, Besario said it remains to be intact and is hopeful it will serve its purpose.

Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Remollo, a trustee of the university, believed both parties have reached the agreement for the love of Silliman. He said the key really is having an open mind in the spirit of being a Sillimanian.