LLEU sets record with 2-hour-45-minute CBA negotiation at Lepanto - Rappler

Lepanto President Bryan Yap leading the signing.

BAGUIO CITY — The Lepanto Local Employees Union completed what company officials described as the fastest Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiation in Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. history, reaching an agreement with management in a single sitting that lasted just 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Knestor Jose Y. Godino, Lepanto vice president for human resources and administration, said the pace of the negotiations marked a sharp departure from the company’s earlier CBA negotiations, which could take more than a year to complete.

“And we finished our CBA in just one sitting, one day — two hours and 45 minutes,” Godino said.

Godino said he had earlier challenged the union to prove that such a swift negotiation was possible, initially thinking the challenge might not be taken seriously.

“I remember, I already challenged the LLEU. I thought it was a joke, but the LLEU took it seriously. And obviously, they did,” he said.

The agreement reflects a continuing shift in labor-management relations at Lepanto, where negotiations in the past were sometimes delayed for more than 12 months.

“Gone are the days when our CBA negotiations were delayed and it would take us over 12 months to finish it,” Godino said.

He credited the Labor-Management Cooperation mechanism, or LMC, for helping build trust between management and the union. Godino said LMC was not intended to replace, weaken or suppress labor unionism but to provide another avenue for management and workers to work together.

“We become stronger when we move as one Lepanto, one community and we are moving forward together,” said Lepanto president and chief operating officer.

The National Conciliation and Mediation Board said the agreements were reached without its intervention.

LLEU President Johnny Bayubay, who heads the 90 union members. said the latest agreement was the product of hard work, patience and negotiation by both sides despite initial disagreements.

“Today marks a significant milestone for the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Co. and the Lepanto Local Employees Union,” Bayubay said, stressing that management and workers shared the goal of securing a strong, fair and stable future for employees.

Bayubay thanked the negotiating teams, union members and company leaders who contributed to the agreement. He said the CBA demonstrated mutual respect and the value of labor-management cooperation.

The development comes after Lepanto and the Lepanto Local Staff Union signed the company’s 15th CBA in July 2026 following two meetings completed in less than a month. Company officials described that agreement as a new benchmark for the mining company.

The CBA negotiations are part of a broader effort by Lepanto and its unions to maintain industrial peace through cooperation. The NCMB-CAR has previously cited the company’s use of LMC and grievance machinery as mechanisms that helped resolve workplace concerns and reduce labor disputes.

Former Lepanto labor counsel Mauricio Domogan, who has represented unions in negotiations, also emphasized the importance of balance between labor and management.

Domogan likened the relationship between the two sides to a marriage, saying both must benefit from an agreement and work toward improving productivity and profitability. He recalled that negotiations should be conducted efficiently and that prolonged talks should not become the norm.

Frank Cimatu is a veteran poet and journalist based in Baguio City. He currently contributes to Rappler and co-runs the Facebook page Mountain Beacon. In 2018 and 2021, he published two poetry collections: Ang Mga Prusisyong Dumaan Sa Unang Bangungot and Birdcatching in Sagada and Other Poems. Prusisyon won the 20th Madrigal-Gonzales Best First Book Award for 2021. He twice won the Palanca for poetry in English and Filipino. He also placed 2nd in the Procyon Awards for Young Filipino Poets. His current collection is a compilation of his works from the onset of the pandemic to the present, following his recollections of nostalgia, pop culture, and political response to the struggles faced by journalists brought by red-tagging.