BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
The Bacolod City Water District should reinstate the 60 employees it had terminated due to redundancy of position pending appeal of the Civil Service Commission resolution that ordered the payment of their back wages, Cesar Beloria, one of the employees’ legal counsel said yesterday.
After Prime Water took over Baciwa’s operation on November 16, 2020, the Baciwa Board had passed a resolution declaring the 60 employees’ positions as redundant and terminated them on December 31, which prompted the terminated workers to file complaint before the CSC.
The CSC said Baciwa “failed to show adequate and convincing proof “that the reduction of workforce and termination of the workers’ employment were necessary.
Baciwa was given 15 days to file a Motion for Reconsideration or a Petition for Review with the CSC main office in Manila, and the decision will be held in abeyance pending the resolution of the case.
The members of the Baciwa Board received the August 20 CSC resolution Thursday and will also refer the matter to the Office of the Government Corporate Council (OGCC).
Beloria said if the Baciwa Board or management plan to appeal the case, that is their right.
“But when you say reinstatement, the employees should be reinstated right away pending appeal like what happens in labor disputes. Because if there is an order and the Baciwa management refuses to reinstate, they can be cited for contempt,” he said.
Beloria said he received information that Baciwa refuses to reinstate the employees because the management is under Prime Water already. “I believe there is a deception because we are talking of a joint venture between Prime Water and Baciwa and the water utility firm has not been dissolve. If they say Baciwa no longer exists it is like admitting that it has been privatized,” he said.
He believes the entry of Prime Water in the joint venture is violative of the right of the employees right from the start, he said.
He is appealing to Baciwa not neglect its employees, Beloria added.*
