House approves bill cutting validity of CBA to 3 years

The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 9320 which seeks to shorten the duration and validity of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) from five years to three years.

The measure gathered a total of 210 affirmative votes.

"The bill seeks to amend Article 265 of Presidential Decree No. 442 or the Philippine Labor Code to encourage and protect the right of workers to collective bargaining and negotiations by increasing their opportunity to choose an appropriate representative who can best speak for their needs," Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement.

"If enacted into law, the validity of the bargaining representative's term and the collective bargaining agreement itself will be reduced to three years from the current five, giving more flexibility for workers in exercising their right to bargain collectively with their employers," he added.

Under the bill, all provisions of the CBA will remain in full force and effect during the effectiveness of the agreement.

CBA refers to the negotiated contract between a legitimate labor organization and the employer concerning wages, hours of work, and all other terms and conditions of employment. —LDF, GMA Integrated News