Janitors return to work this Sept. 16
Ruby P. Gapasin and Presto S. Suyat, The PUP Observer, Volume 1, Issue 3, August 2012Starting September 16, janitors who were employees of the Unitrend Janitorial Services will return to work after staging a 6-month picket.
Security officers and the Supervisor of the Carebest Manpower International inspect and audit the office of the janitorial services in preparation for the turnover of its management.
After the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the university announced that the Sparrow Integrated Services complied with the requirements of a negotiated contract bidding done last August 10, the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the bidding included a 100 percent absorption of the 152 janitors.
Two agencies participated on the bidding process last August 10 namely, Sparrow Integrated Services and PAD Services.
Engineer Antonio Y. Velasco, Executive Secretary of BAC said that the Sparrow Integrated Services complied with the eligibility and technical requirements of a negotiated contract bidding. An inspection done by the Technical Working Group (TWG) under the BAC last August 14 also revealed that the Sparrow submitted all other requirements needed for the said bidding.
The BAC served a Notice of Termination to Carebest Manpower International last August 15 indicating that its janitorial services will end on September 16. Based on RA 9184 otherwise known as Government Procurement Reform Act and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations, Carebest Manpower International, which won the last bidding, has only one month to serve before another winning agency bidder will take over its services.
Furthermore, the BAC has also issued a Notice of Award to Sparrow Integrated Services last August 17 which indicated that it passed the bidding procedures. Thereafter, a Notice to Proceed signed by President Emanuel C. de Guzman and a contract will finally seal the agreement between PUP and Sparrow Integrated Services before September 16.
President Emanuel C. de Guzman expressed appreciation that finally a contract will be signed out of the janitorial services bidding process mandated by a law.
“I’m happy about this development. This is a testament of my commitment for a 100 percent absorption of the striking janitors in any bidding process to legally return them to their work. I hope that the end of the strike will also help to normalize the operations of the main campus of the University. I also would like to congratulate the janitors for their steadfast conviction to fight for their jobs and protect the interests of their families. I also would like to commend the academic community for patiently bearing with us in the just resolution of this labor dispute within our University,“ President de Guzman said.
The president also added that on behalf of the academic community of the university, he would like to thank the good performance of the Carebest Manpower International which provided janitorial services for the past eight months. He also challenged the janitors who will be brought back again to work not to waste their chances to serve and improve their performance.
On the other hand, Engr. Velasco expressed elation on the bidding process which ended with the negotiation contract and did not proceed with the Job Order option.
“In the Job Order option, there is no employer-employee relationship. With a successful negotiated contract, janitors can avail of Pag-ibig, SSS and Philhealth benefits, which a Job Order cannot provide. “We are happy since we experienced a lot of hardships and difficulties and fortunately did not end with the last option which is a Job Order. With the Job Order, janitors will not be happy and we in the BAC will not also like it,” Velasco explained.
Meanwhile, Rey Cagomoc, president of the Samahang Janitors ng PUPNAFLU- KMU, said that the union will conduct its victory party and will invite the members of the academic community to join their celebration. He also expressed their gratitude to President de Guzman and the BAC.
Another janitorial services bidding process will happen sometime in October or November this year for the fiscal year 2013.