OPASCOR employees cut ties with ALU-TUCP

More than 400 employees of the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corporation (OPASCOR) have initiated moves to disaffiliate from the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP), citing years of alleged neglect, lack of transparency, and unilateral decisions that jeopardized their livelihood.

- Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JG

A total of 38 supervisory employees and 410 rank-and-file members of the Association of Port Supervisory Officers and Technical Employees Union (APSOTEU) and Local 1 Union declared their intent to separate from the federation, expressing deep frustration over what they described as "years of frustration with how its leadership run the affairs of the organization".

"Despite our huge union dues, we could not recall receiving any assistance from ALU during the pandemic or during this time when the company is facing stiff competition," the employees said in their joint statement.

According to the employees, each member pays between P390 to P500 monthly in union dues making OPASCOR employees among the highest contributors to ALU-TUCP. Yet, they claimed, they received little to no direct benefit from the federation’s programs and services.

Worst, they said that they learned that a federation officer allegedly owns properties including resorts in Caliraya, Batangas and Pangasinan, as well as a house in the United States.