In the last report of PLDT to its stockholders (2011 Annual Report), the total number of its Workers is at 34,116. They are divided into three (3) business segments of the Company:

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Wireless - 8,043; ​

Fixed Line -  11,409; at  ​

BPO -      14,664.

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But another way of grouping them would be that of the:

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Unionized; and  ​

Non-Unionized.

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Its true that the rights of Workers/Labor that is enshrined in the Philippine Constitution is for ALL Workers, unionized or not. But practical matters clearly shows that a lot of rights that are bestowed by law are not enjoyed by the workers if they do not have a Union. The most important of these rights is the right to a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). This is the right of every worker, but if you do not have a Union, you will never have it.

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For the Workers who are part of a bargaining unit, often times, Capitalist gives the benefits of the CBA even if they are not members of the Union just so they wouldn't see the need to join the Union. But if the Capitalist have an alibi to separate them from the bargaining unit, the workers will never taste the benefits of a CBA other than those which the Capitalist allows them to have.

 

What is a CBA?      How important is it to a Worker/Employee?

 

This is the periodic negotiation of the Workers with their Capitalist for increase in salary, benefits and better terms and conditions of work. In other words, this is the Workers' "Right to Aspiration".



For someone who receives a hefty amount of salary, it's easy to aspire. In PLDT for example, it's easy to aspire: for the best University to send your children; for a nice place for vacation; for the kind of car you would want to buy; or whatever will make your family happy; if your salary is like that of the Executives of the Company - which averages to one million pesos (P1M) per month.  In our world that is moved by money, it is so much easy to be a parent or to provide for your love ones if you have this much salary. It is indeed not only easy , but it is so pleasurable to aspire if you have this much salary.

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​On the other hand, what we have reach in PLDT in the field of Collective Bargaining is not that bad at all. Our average salary now is P43,000 per month. And our supervisors that mostly are people that Management had rather increase their salary in order to remove them from our bargaining unit surely have higher average monthly salary.

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But if you are going to make a list of the monthly expenses of an ordinary PLDT employee you will find out that we are at the brink of sliding down the poverty level.

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Our salary is not that bad if your parents or relatives that often relies on you will not be sick or have some kind of a problem that would need your financial support. It cannot be denied that we are part of an impoverished Filipino Society. The inadequacies of our Society have some direct and indirect impacts on us.



Be that as it may, it must be clear to all that Collective Bargaining as a right is not given to the Workers by the Constitution simply because they are poor, hungry or helpless.  We have the right to a CBA because the Constitution provides that Workers/Labor have the right to "its just share in the fruits of production". Therefore it is not only the Capitalist who has the right to the income of the company. And not only that which he prefers to give to its Workers/Employees. The Constitution declares "Just Share". We entered a new negotiation to shape our  CBA 2012-2015 on this principle.

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The last three (3) years exemplifies productive condition for the company. Under the administration of our 57 Executives, our 34,059  Employees (including Managers, Supervisors and Rank & File)  rake up P122B in net income: 2009 - P41B; 2010 - P42B; 2011- P39B.

 

It cannot be denied that of all the companies of Metro Pacific, PLDT is the "Goose that Lays the Golden Eggs". Thus, it is also reasonable to believe that the apparent buying spree by Metro Pacific of different companies in different line of industries is bolstered by its most potent company - the PLDT.

 

 

 

What is the condition of the so called "just sharing in the fruits of production" in PLDT?

FOUNDATION OF OUR CAUSE