2 bakeshop unions allege "union raiding" by KMU

CEBU, Philippines - The members of the two independent employees union under Anita’s Home Bakeshop Inc. yesterday held a prayer rally to counter the alleged “union raiding” being done by the Alliance of Nationalist Genuine Labor Organization- Kilusang Mayo Uno.

Guilberto Burug, president of Anita’s Home Bakeshop Independent Employees Association, and Romulo Cempron Celis, president of Cebu Golden Buns Corporation Employees Independent Union, appealed that ANGLO-KMU respect the existing collective bargaining agreement between AHBIEA and the bakeshop management.

The CBA between AHBIEA and the management will expire on 2013.

The Cebu Golden Buns Corporation is a sister company of Anita’s Home Bakeshop Inc., which supplies some of McDonald’s food products.

CGBC said it is supporting AHBIEA because its members also do not want to lose their jobs with the reported continued harassment of ANGLO-KMU.

AHBIEA contended that it has been registered as a legitimate labor organization since July 30, 1986, thus, ANGLO-KMU cannot claim that the company is engaged into union busting.

Burug earlier blamed the Department of Labor and Employment for registering the Anita’s Home Bakeshop Worker’s Union-ANGLO-KMU on April 2, 2008 without first looking into its own records.

Barug said Anita’s Home Bakeshop and its union have existed harmoniously for over 40 years until last year when AHBWU-ANGLO-KMU filed a notice of strike on the ground of union busting.

Anita’s Home Baskeshop Inc. currently has 164 workers, 16 of which are members of ANGLO-KMU.

When ANGLO-KMU was formed sometime April last year, it gathered 33 members out of the 164 workers of the bakeshop but and eight members were later terminated on grounds of negligence, theft, lack of trust and confidence, among others.

Benjamin Cabinian, the bakeshop’s operations manager, said the terminated workers reportedly could not claim union busting because they were reportedly terminated long before they became members of ANGLO-KMU.

Anita’s Bakeshop has branches located in Fuente Osmeña, SM, E-Mall, barangays Guadalupe, Banawa, Mabolo, Sto Niño; barangays Centro, Maguikay and Cabangcalan in Mandaue City, and in barangay Tabunok, Talisay City. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO (THE FREEMAN)