Labor settles overtime claims via SENA

OLONGAPO CITY, Jan.26 (PIA) — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Zambales Field Office successfully settled P650,000 worth of overtime claims for 177 security guards of Subic Shipbuilder Corp (Sushicor) via the Single Entry Approach (SENA).

“Single Entry Assistance Desk Officer and Zambales field office head Efren Reyes led the review of the case and presided the hearing involving both parties on January 15, 10 days after a request for assistance was filed by the security guards, for a voluntary settlement. After six hours of negotiation, an agreement was reached wherein the representative of Sushicor facilitated the immediate release of the dues,” DOLE Regional Director Raymundo Agravante said. “For these security guards, who worked day and night by risking their lives just to make both ends meet for their families, our much sought-after intervention paved way for the resolution of their dispute with management,” Agravante added.

SENA is one of the answers of DOLE to President Aquino’s directive of reforming labor arbitration and adjudication by streamlining procedures, removing red tape, and ensuring integrity and fairness in the system.  Under this reform, DOLE and its attached agencies have been tasked to strictly follow a 30-day mandatory conciliation-mediation process for all cases so that these will not mature into full-blown lawsuits. (WLB/CLJD-PIA3)