HOKEI Subic Management, Employees’ Union Sign CBA
by Vic V. Vizcocho, Jr.
HOKEI Subic Corp., a locator in the Subic Bay Freeport engaged in the manufacture of luggage carts, carwash brushes & other plastic products recently signed another 5-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with Hokei Subic Employees Union (HSEU), an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).
In simple ceremonies at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Labor Dept. office, Hokei Subic Corp. President James Tsai and Admin Officer Arlene Barba signed the CBA for the company and Union President Rowena Ronquillo on behalf of HSEU with Roberto “Bobby” Flores, secretary-General of AMAPO-TUCP.
The first CBA was signed 10 years ago and the current one took 5 years to complete. “This is a positive step in maintaining industrial peace in the Subic Bay Freeport,” Flores told Subic Bay News.
He added that he hopes unions in other companies in Subic will finally be recognised and their respective CBAs with management negotiated and completed.
Hokei is the only company in the Subic Freeport which has a recognised labor union.
Management of several companies in the Freeport, however, have expressed fears that clients will shy away if their employees are unionized, which could lead to eventual shutdown and massive unemployment, fears that Flores downplays as unfounded.
