TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY-MBA

Esmhel B. Briones

Labor-Management Relations/Labor Relations

the

study and practice of managing unionized employment situations. It is a subarea within human resource management. Courses in labor relations will typically cover labor history, labor law, union organizing, collective bargaining, contract administration, and important contemporary topics.

Why Employees form and join Unions?

collective bargaining with the employer for self-preservation and protection to belong to a group that will help them secure entitlements provided by law to protect themselves from human rights abuses of employers.

The labor relations system in the Philippines is patterned after that of the United States of America which is anchored on freedom of association and collective bargaining.

ARTICLE XIII Social Justice and Human Rights

Labor Section 3. The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all.

ARTICLE XIII Social Justice and Human Rights

It shall guarantee the rights of all workers to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations,and peaceful concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with law. They shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage. They shall also participate in policy and decision-making processes affecting their rights and benefits as may be provided by law.

ARTICLE XIII Social Justice and Human Rights

The State shall promote the principle of shared responsibility between workers and employers and the preferential use of voluntary modes in settling disputes, including conciliation, and shall enforce their mutual compliance therewith to foster industrial peace.

ARTICLE XIII Social Justice and Human Rights

The

State shall regulate the relations between workers and employers, recognizing the right of labor to its just share in the fruits of production and the right of enterprises to reasonable returns to investments, and to expansion and growth.

BOOK FIVE: LABOR RELATIONS Title I POLICY AND DEFINITIONS Chapter I POLICY
ARTICLE 211. Declaration of Policy. A. It is the policy of the State: (a) To promote and emphasize the primacy of free collective bargaining and negotiations, including voluntary arbitration, mediation and conciliation, as modes of settling labor or industrial disputes;

BOOK FIVE: LABOR RELATIONS Title I POLICY AND DEFINITIONS Chapter I POLICY
(b) To promote free trade unionism as an instrument for the enhancement of democracy and the promotion of social justice and development; (c) To foster the free and voluntary organization of a strong and united labor movement;

BOOK FIVE: LABOR RELATIONS Title I POLICY AND DEFINITIONS Chapter I POLICY
(d) To promote the enlightenment of workers concerning their rights and obligations as union members and as employees; (e) To provide an adequate administrative machinery for the expeditious settlement of labor or industrial disputes;

BOOK FIVE: LABOR RELATIONS Title I POLICY AND DEFINITIONS Chapter I POLICY
(f) To ensure a stable but dynamic and just industrial peace; and (g) To ensure the participation of workers in decision and policymaking processes affecting their rights, duties and welfare.

BOOK FIVE: LABOR RELATIONS Title I POLICY AND DEFINITIONS Chapter I POLICY
B. To encourage a truly democratic method of regulating the relations between the employers and employees by means of agreements freely entered into through collective bargaining, no court or administrative agency or official shall have the power to set or fix wages, rates of pay, hours of work or other terms and conditions of employment, except as otherwise provided under this Code. (As amended by Section 3, Republic Act No. 6715, March 21, 1989).

What is a labor union?

It

is defined as an organization formed to represent the interest of workers in bargaining with employers for contracts concerning wages, fringe benefits and working conditions.

Types of Labor Unions

It can be classified as: Craft or trade unions Industrial

Craft/Trade Unions
whose

membership consists of workers engaged in a particular trade such as drivers, singers, musicians, carpenters, etc. Examples: Philippine Lawyers Guild, the Fishermens Union, and the Shoemakers Union

Industrial Union
whose

members are employed in a given industry regardless of the type of work performed by each member Examples: Bayview Park Hotel Employees Union and Employees Union of Bayer Philippines

ORGANIZING a UNION

The desire of employees to unionize may be followed by an attempt to organize. Hence, it can be undertaken by the concerned employees themselves, or by the union organizer of a national union.

Organizing a Union usually include the following steps:

Employee/Union

contact Initial Organizational meeting Formation of in-house organizing committee Election petition and voting preparation Contract negotiations

Local Labor Union

is

one which draws membership from a local industry or company. It is managed by officials elected by its members. Its officials are full-time employees of the local industry or company. It collects dues from its members.

Local Labor Union

The

local union is actually a federation chapter and it derives it legal personality through the issuance of a charter by a duly registered federation or national union.

Independent Union
is

one operating at the enterprise or company level and whose legal personality is derived through independent action for registration. They have the option of affiliating with federations or national unions.

National Union
is

one composed of at least ten (10) locals/ chapters or affiliates each of which must be a duly certified or recognized collective bargaining agent. It exercises some form of control over its chapter and affiliates. These usually include concerns over collecting dues, admitting new members to the local and using union funds.

National Union
Examples:

National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant, and Allied Industries(NUWHRAIN), Workers Solidarity Network (WSN), and southern Philippines Federation of Labor (SPFL).

PRESIDENT

Vice President

Secretary

Treasurer

Sgt. At Arms

Group Steward Head Office Group Steward Northwest Luzon Area Group Steward South Luzon Area

Group Steward Northeast Luzon Area Group Steward Central Luzon Area

Organization Chart for a Local Union

Confederation of National Unions

National Union

National Union

Local Union

Local Union

The Organizational Levels of Unions

Asian Labor Network on International Financial Institutions (ALNI/Philippines)

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)

Federation of Free Workers (FFW)

Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL)

Regular Affiliates

Auxiliary Affiliates

MARINO BPHEU CAIWU HHEU MUDA

National Unions and Federations

KAMAO NUHWHRAIN PIGLAS SPFL WSN

Workers Community Associations

TESEF

Workers Associations/ Cooperatives FEBATODI FURCAFT PASADA PASADOZ STF TRAFECO NUWDECO SEMDDOC

A Typical Coalition of Labor Organization