China Bank, Employee Union Sign Off on New CBA
Makati—(PHStocks)—China Banking Corp. (China Bank, PSE: CHIB) and China Banking Corporation Employees Association (CBCEA) have recently agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) amounting to PhP511 million for two years.
The 2015-2017 CBA provides for salary increases; improvements in insurance coverage, medicine and tellers’ allowances, rice and HMO (for dependents) subsidies, and bereavement and union leave benefits; a contract signing bonus, as well as a special one-time bonus for China Bank’s regular rank and file employees nationwide. Unanimously ratified by union members on 28 November 2015, the new CBA is China Bank’s 24th in its 95-year history and the first under President & CEO Ricardo R. Chua.
“The new CBA is a reflection of how we value our people and how we motivate them to work harder with a renewed commitment to China Bank,” said Chua.
Outside of the total CBA package, Management also approved the granting of a special bonus to China Bank staff regularized between August 2, 2015 and December 1, 2015, and the upgraded CBA benefits upon regularization to probationary employees as of date of ratification.
According to Chua, this underscores China Bank’s commitment to the welfare of employees, even those just recently hired.
Both the Management and Union panels worked cooperatively during the two-month negotiations to address the needs and concerns of Management and employees.
“The two sides worked together in mutual trust and respect to continually improve the working environment, while ensuring China Bank’s long term sustainability,” said VP Maria Rosanna L. Testa, head of the Human Resources Division (HRD) and the Management panel.
“China Bank has always been fair and kind to us. This new CBA not only benefits current employees, but also boosts China Bank’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees,” said Neilfredo M. de Venecia, CBCEA president and head of the Union panel.
Treasury Group’s Marisol M. Teodoro, Central Accounting Division’s Dorothy T. Maceda, Legal & Collection’s Atty. Evelyn T. Alameda and Atty. Belenette C. Tan, and HRD’s Reynaldo P. del Rosario, Jr. and Johanna P. Martinez comprised the Management panel headed by Testa. The legal counsels were Atty. Marcial G. de la Fuente and Atty.
Graciello Timothy D. Reyes.
Aside from de Venecia, the Union panel was composed of CBCEA officers Rey E. Gregorio, Gladys Kaja H. Conde, Jose Crisostomo C. Dino, John Ray B. Guda, Enrico L. Azarcon, and Rhodora D. Salalac. Atty. Gaston D. Taquio was their legal counsel. HRD’s Ma. Luisa C. Corpus and Jonathan C. Camarillo were the observers for the
Management panel. Their counterparts in the Union panel were John Martin B. Tuano, Ted B. dela Victoria, Chris David G. del Castillo, and John Paul S. Suarez.