Following a series of nationwide protests, the Gabay ng Unyon sa Telekomunikasyon ng mga Superbisor (GUTS-PLDT) successfully concluded negotiations with the management of PLDT Inc. for a new collective bargaining agreement.

The union secured significant wage increases and additional benefits despite what it called management’s “blatant stalling” of the negotiations.

According to a GUTS-PLDT statement, the united stance of its membership and the union’s collective actions were key to the success. These actions included almost daily noise barrages, wearing red and black shirts in protest, and launching “Jericho marches” at various company branches across the country.

In addition to the local demands of the supervisors, the union also championed the broader call for the regularization of rank-and-file workers. The union strongly opposed the threat of layoffs driven by the rapid integration of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in the telecommunications industry.

“[GUTS-PLDT] united with other unions within PLDT to more strongly push their demands for a living wage, job security, benefits, and rights,” the union said in an official statement.

The union vowed to remain vigilant against any attempts by management to retract or deny the hard-won incentives, adding that a “stronger and more militant union” is ready to face greedy capitalists.