Successfully Facilitated Settlement on Cooperative Membership
DAVAO CITY – Committed to its mandate of promoting peace in cooperatives, the Cooperative Development Authority, has successfully facilitated a settlement of an individual’s application for cooperative membership and the appointment to the position of general manager. The complaint, which raised concerns over the procedures followed by a cooperative during the application process and the appointment to a high-ranking position, has been resolved amicably through a legal settlement through the dialogue proceeding under Rule III of the CDA Omnibus Rules of Procedures.
The complaint originated when a member of the public alleged that the cooperative had unfairly handled their application for membership. The individual, who had sought to join the cooperative, claimed that the membership process lacked transparency in informing the applicant on the status of application, and that they were allegedly unjustly denied the right to become a member despite fulfilling all required criteria.
Further, the individual challenged the appointment process for the general manager position. They argued that the appointment was made without a fair and transparent recruitment process and that it favored certain candidates without proper consideration of qualification and experience.
The legal unit conducted a thorough review of the cooperative’s procedures during the dialogue proceeding, including the membership application process and the appointment of the general manager.
After extensive deliberations through the dialogue proceeding, CDA Legal determined that while the cooperative had followed certain standard procedures, there were shortcomings in the updating of the membership application process. Specifically, the legal unit identified gaps in communication and late explanation provided to applicants.
The settlement of this complaint marks a crucial step in improving the governance and relationships of cooperatives and highlighting the importance of transparent procedures in membership applications and appointments to key positions.
With the support of CDA Legal’s intervention, the cooperative has taken the necessary actions to address the issues raised and moved forward in a way that ensures fairness and trust among its members. This case shall serve as a reminder to all cooperatives to prioritize transparency and proper communication, to ensure that the best practices are in place for the benefit of all members.
