The All UP Academic Employees Union-Open University (AUPAEU-OU) Chapter joined in the celebration of the Academic Union Month this October 2017. This was in commemoration of the establishment of the Union 16 years ago. A set of activities was conducted university-wide to show the solidarity and support of all AUPAEU members.
One of the activities conducted was the Public Sector Union Orientation and Leadership Training or "Unyonismo 101" last 24 October 2017 held at the Audio Visual Room of the UP Open University (UPOU). The All UP Workers Alliance-OU Chapter (composed of AUPAEU and All UP Workers Union), AUPAEU-Los Baños Chapter and AUPAEU-National collaborated in organizing this activity to orient and train its members on public sector unionism and union leadership. To accommodate union members from the different constituent unit of UP, the event was webstreamed by the UPOU's Multimedia Center.
Dr. Melinda Bandalaria, Chancellor of UPOU and Mr. Larry Cruz, President of AUPAEU-OU Chapter welcomed the participants. Asst. Prof. Carl Marc Ramota, President of the AUPAEU-National, in his opening remarks emphasized that this was the first time to webstream a Union activity and he wished to conduct upcoming Union activities via webstream to reach more members.
The AUPAEU-OU Chapter also partnered with the UPOU Health & Wellness Committee, All UP Workers Union-OU Chapter, and the Office of Gender Concerns, in holding a seminar on "Psycho-Emotional Well-being of Women and Men in the Workplace" with Asst. Prof. Rameses de Jesus, OIC-Director of OGC as the Resource Speaker. The seminar aimed to to increase awareness about major mental health concerns in the workplace and ways of addressing them. This was held last 26 October 2017 at UPOU-AVR, Los Baños, Laguna and participated in by UPOU employees.
Dr. Melinda Bandalaria, Chancellor of UPOU welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of psycho-emotional well-being of women and men in the workplace such as in UPOU. On the other hand, Mr. Larry Cruz, President of the AUPAEU-OU Chapter, in his closing message, reiterated that the event was in support of the celebration of the World Mental Health Day 2017 with the theme "Mental Health in the Workplace". He also expressed his gratitude to everyone who supported the activities for the Academic Union Month. To conclude the month long celebration, a "boodle fight" was conducted as a symbol of unity and solidarity among UPOU employees. (ESPManipol)
