Outline on

Strikes & Lockouts

Atty. Paciano F. Fallar Jr.

SSCR-College of Law

I. Employee concerted activities

 Constitution: Art. XIII, Sec. 3

 Labor Code: Art. 212 [219], par.(o); 278[263] ;

 Strike
Solidbank vs Gamier , GR No. 159460, 15 Nov 2010
Santa Rosa Coca Cola Plant Employees Union vs Coca Cola, GR No.
164302, 24 Jan 2007
Bilflex Phil. Labor Union vs Filflex, GR No.155679, 19 Dec 2006

 Picketing
NUWRAIN vs CA, GR No. 163942, 11 November 2008
Phimco Industries vs Phimco Ind. Labor Assn, GR No. 170830, 11
August 2010

 Boycott

 Mass leave

Naranjo vs Biomedica Health, GR No. 193789, 19 September 2012

 Slowdown

Interphil Laboratories Employees Union vs Interphil,

GR No. 142842, 19 December 2001

II. Kinds of Strike (Based on Allowed Ground)

 ULP

Hotel Enterprises of the Phil vs SAMASAN-NUHWRAIN, GR No. 16575,

05 June 2009

Employees Union of Bayer vs Bayer Philippines ,GR No. 162943, 06 December 2010

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 Davao Free Workers Front vs CIR, GR No. L-29356, 31 October 2974 (60 SCRA 408)

 Bargaining Deadlock (economic strike)

A Soriano Aviation vs Employyess Assn, GR No. 166879, 14 Aug 2009

III. Who may declare a Strike

 Certified bargaining agent

Masdala Multipurpose & Livelihood Coop vs KLLMS, GR No.s191138-

39, 19 October 2011

 Legitimate labor organization

Visayas Community MediCal Center vs Yballe, GR No. 196156, 15 January 2014

IV. Non-Strikeable Issues

 ‘Not gross’ violation of CBA

 Economic issues in CBA deadlock
 Violation of labor standards
 Salary distortion dispute

Ilaw at Buklod ng Manggagawa vs NLRC, GR No. 91980, 27 June 1991

 Intra union dispute (Art. 278 [263] (b)

National union of Workers in Hotels v NLRC , GR No. 125561, 06 March 1998

 Submitted for mediation/arbitration

Art. 279 [264], 2nd par.

PAL vs Secretary of Labor, GR No. 88210, 23 Janaury 1991

 Issues covered by Assumption of Jurisdiction

Solidbank vs Gamier , GR No. 159460, 15 Nov 2010

V. Procedure (Art. 278 [263], pars. b-1]

 CBA grievance machinery

Union of Filipro Employes vs Nestle, GR No. 88710-10-13, 19

December 1990

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  Notice of Strike
 Cooling off period
 Strike vote
 7-day strike ban

Piltel Corp vs PILTEA, GR No. 160058, 22 June 2007

VI. Conduct during strike

 Illegal/criminal acts

Chua vs NLRC, GR No. 105775, 08 February 1993

 Prohibited activities (Art. 279[274])

 Picketing

Sukhothai Cusine vs CA, GR No. 150437, 17 July 2006

VII. Assumption of Jurisdiction

 Effect on strike/lock out

Univ. of Immaculate Concepcion vs Sec. of Labor, GR No. 151379, 14 January 2005

 Extent of authority of the Secretary to resolve dispute

Plenary authority: Interphil Laboratories Employees Union vs Interphil,

GR No. 142842, 19 December 2001

Legality of strike: Philcom Employees Union vs Philcom, GR No. 144315,

17 July 2006

Legality of dismissal: Bagong Pagkakaisa ng Manggagagwas sa Triump vs

Sec. of Labor, GR No. 167401, 05 July 2010

Wage increases: San Pedro Hospital of Digos vs Sec. of Labor, GR No.

104624, 11 October 1996

VIII. Illegal Strike

Toyota Motors Phil. Employees Assn vs NLRC, GR No. 158786, 19

October2007

 Not based on ULP or bargaining deadlock

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  Undertaken not by certified bargaining agent or legitimate labor
organization

 Violation of CBA grievance/No strike, no lock out clause

A Soriano Aviation vs Employyess Assn, GR No. 166879, 14 Aug 2009

 Violation of assumption order

Univ. of San Agustin Employees Union vs CA, GR No. 169632,

28 March 2006

 Illegal acts during strike

IX. Effect on 3rd Parties

 Innocent by stander

Liwayway Publishing vs Permanent Concrete Workers Union, GR No.L-

25003, 23 October 1981

MSF Tire & Rubber Inc vs CA, GR No. 128632, 05 August 1999

X. Liability of striking employees (Illegal strike)

Art. 279 [264] (a), last par.

 Union officers

Fadrequelan vs Monterey Foof Corp., GR No. 178409, 08 June 2011

 Union members

Toyota Motors Phil. Employees Assn vs NLRC, GR No. 158786, 19

October2007

XI. Liability of Union ( Damages)

National Federation of Labor vs NLRC, GR No. 113466, 15 December 1997

City Fair Corp. vs NLRC, GR No. 95711, 21 April 1995

XII. Rule on Backwages

General rule:Toyota Motors Phil. Employees Assn vs NLRC, GR No. 158786, 19

October2007

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 Exception: Philippine Diamond Hotel vs Manial Damond Hoel Empoyees Unon, GR
No. 15807, 30 June 2006

Davao Free Workers Front vs CIR, GR No. L-29356, 31 October 2974 (60 SCRA 408)

Art. 279 [264] (a) , last par.

XIV. Employer Action :Art. 278 [263], (f), 2nd sentence

 Lock out

Sta. Mesa Slipways & Engineering Co., v. CIR , G.R. No. L-4521. August 18, 1952.

 Closure/retrenchment

- Closure of a department by the company after it received the union’s CBA

proposals was held to be a ULP: Digitel vs Digitel Employees Union, GR No.
18490, 10 October 2012).

-Discriminatory selection of unionists in retrenchment program, while excluding

non-unionists, is also ULP ( Bataan Shipayard vs NLRC, GR No. L-78604, 09 May
1988)

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