A Hectic Week Full of Surprises

It was such a very hectic week for the union.

On Monday, July 5, our Chapter President attended the 28th General Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Bishops-Businessmen's Conference as the Union representative. Our union was extended with an invitation by the said group.

Wednesday afternoon, our Chapter President again, attended the All Government Employees' Unity Conference at the Pacemaker Conference Room of the Philippine Heart Center. He also attended the said conference as the Secretary General of the Alliance of Health Workers. The conference was about the campaign for P3,000.00 across-the-board monthly salary increase for all government employees which will be backstopped by the Confederation for Unity, Reform and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT). Highlights of the Conference were the adoption of a Unity Statement and the General Program of Action.

On Thursday noon, our Chapter President was requested by the Chair of the PGH Uniform Committee to attend her on-going meeting with the Administrative Officers of PGH at the Director's Conference Room. This is to clarify our letter dated June 28, 2004 on our querries related to the uniform of the administrative support personnel. It was established that indeed the PGH Uniform Committee has yet to finalize their final recommendation for the 2005 uniform of all sectors in the hospital. And that the Memorandum of Mrs. Teresita Venturina who claimed to be the Chair of the Administrative Group Uniform Committee, which was the basis of the Administrative Officers and other Heads of Administrative Offices solicitation of orders from their subordinates for the La Marina as their chosen seamstress or cloth supplier was only intended as a survey. However, our Chapter President clarified that in the absence of a final recommendation on the cut, color and cloth for the 2005 uniform by the PGH Uniform Committee, much more the endorsement by the PGH Director and the approval and corresponding issuance of an Administrative Order or Memorandum from the UP Manila Chancellor, such move by Mrs. Venturina and heads of Administrative Offices maybe considered illegal. He further advice the group to go back to the specific powers delegated to the PGH Uniform Committee when it was formed by the PGH Director.

On Friday, July 9, 2004 at 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM, the 5th meeting of the University Management-Health Workers Consultative Council (UMHWCC) was held at the UP Manila Board Room. The UMHWCC was created by the Chancellor in July of last year upon the request and submission of a position paper by the Union. The AUPWU Manila Chapter President and Vice President was the Chair and Vice Chair of the Health Workers Panel, respectively.

The following were some of the adopted measures:

First, the Memorandum drafted for the Chancellor by the UMHWCC since December 2003 regarding the clarification of "pending case" and the creation of Fact-Finding bodies at the Unit Level will be submitted immediately to the Chancellor for issuance as soon as possible. It was held in abeyance during the 4th UMHWCC Meeting on April 2004 in deference to a systemwide consultation workshop of all University Legal Counsels and upon the motion of Atty. Zaldy Docena, UP Manila's Chief Legal Officer. Considering however, that the content of the draft memo does not contradict with any of the provisions of the proposed Uniform Rules on Administrative Procedures of UP, the UMHWCC resolved to have the draft memorandum, issued as soon as possible

Second, the study by the Technical Working Group on the CNA provision for 50% discount on PGH Confinement Fees by U.P. retirees, will be revised. It will be commented by the PGH Administration, the Chair of the Health Workers Panel, the Chair of the Management Panel and the UP Manila Chancellor. When everything were already agreed upon, it will be forwarded to the UP System Administration through Vice President Martin Gregorio for their final consideration, possibly, the implemention of the said CNA provision.

Third, the Technical Working Work was tasked to study the proposal to have a uniform rate of hospitalization discounts for all PGH and UP Manila employees. Format will be the same as the study on 50% discount in PGH of UP retirees. Draft Report will be expected to come out before the next UMHWCC Meeting

Fourth, the immediate implementation for UP Manila's Academic Units, of the 2% Salary Increase for employees with graduate degrees. The Internal Guidelines in PGH will likewise be reviewed and revised accordingly, to have a uniform guidelines for all UP Manila units (including the hospital).

Fifth, the assurance by the Management Panel to look for means by which the UP Manila Administration would help the affected casual employees who were downgraded from monthly wage earner to daily wage earner based on a September 2003 Memorandum Circular from the DBM without prior notice. Considering that even the UP System has not implemented this DBM Circular, such action of a midnight implementation of daily wage for UP Manila's casuals, constitutes a traitorious stab to the very core of the Chancellor's vision for a "Socially Responsive University." Further, the reaction of Vice Chancellor Simbulan (who is the chair of the Management Panel suggests a case of "the right hand does not know what the left hand has been doing." WE in the Union will get into the bottom of this incident as soon as the Chancellor reports back to work on July 16, 2004.

Sixth, the PGH Administration as represented by Deputy Diretor Mario Festin, will look into the request of OR Complex Utility Workers to have a share also of the private duty scheme in the Pay OR.

Seventh, U.P.'s College of Dentistry proposed to implement a dental care program for all administrative employees in coordination with the Department of Hospital Dentistry.