DLSU Digest

DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY V. DLSU-EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION (DLSUEA-NAFTEU) GR NO. 169254 [Ap!" 12# 2$$$% BUENA, J.:

D&'!*+,/*'0 Right to Self-Organization; Union FACTS0 Dela Dela Salle Salle Unive Universi rsity ty (UNIV (UNIVERS ERSITY ITY)) and and Dela Dela Salle Salle Unive Universi rsity ty Emplo Employe yees es Assoc Associat iation ion – Nation National al Federation o Teac!ers and Employees Union (D"SUEA#NAFTEU)$ %!ic! is composed o re&'lar non# academi academic c ran and ile employees$( employees$(UNI UNIN) N) entered entered or a ne% collective collective *ar&aini *ar&ainin& n& a&reemen a&reementt %!ic!$ %!ic!$ !o%ever$ t'rned o't to *e 'ns'ccess'l+  Ater several conciliation#mediatio conciliation#mediation n meetin&s$ ive (,) o't o t!e eleven (--) (--) iss'es raised %ere resolved *y t!e parties+ T!e parties entered into a S'*mission A&reement$ identiyin& t!e remainin& si. (/) 'nresolved iss'es or  ar*itration$ namely0 (-) scope o t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit$ (1) 'nion sec'rity cla'se$ (2) sec'rity o ten're$ (3) salary increases (,) indeinite 'nion leave$ red'ction o t!e 'nion presidents %orload$ special leave$ and inally$ (/) d'ration o t!e a&reement+ T!e parties appointed 4'enavent'ra 5a&salin as vol'ntary ar*itrator+ Vol'ntary ar*itrator rendered t!e assailed decision as ollo%s0 n t!e irst iss'e$ r'led t!at t!e 6omp'ter perators assi&ned at t!e 6omp'ter Services 6enter$ s!o'ld *e incl'ded as mem*ers o t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit7 T!e discipline oicers$ *elon& ) to t!e ran#and#ile on t!e *asis o t!e nat're o t!eir 8o*7 and %it! respect to t!e employees o t!e 6olle&e o St+ 4enilde$ t!ey !ad a personality separate and distinct rom t!e University and t!'s$ t!ey are o'tside t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit o t!e Universitys ran#and#ile employees+ n t!e second iss'e re&ardin& t!e propriety o t!e incl'sion o a 'nion s!op cla'se$ t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator  opine opined d t!at t!at a 'nion 'nion s!op s!op cla's cla'se e is a valid valid orm o 'nion 'nion sec'ri sec'rity ty %!ile %!ile t!e 64A is in orce orce and in accordance %it! t!e 6onstit'tional policy to promote 'nionism and collective *ar&ainin& and ne&otiations+ 9it! respect to t!e 'se o t!e :last#in#irst#o't; met!od in case o retrenc!ment and transer to ot!er sc!ools or 'nits$ t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator 'p!eld t!e :elementary ri&!t and prero&ative o t!e mana&ement o t!e University to select andes t!e ann'al salary increases and rin&e *eneits o t!e employees o t!e University$ is correct7 (@) 9!et!er t!e r'lin& t!at t!e @B s!are in t!e incremental t'ition proceeds is t!e only so'rce o salary increases and rin&e *eneits o t!e employees$ is proper+ RULING0 T!e 6o'rt airm in part and modiy in part t!e decision o t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator+ n t!e irst iss'e$ t!e 6o'rt a&rees t!at t!e e.press e.cl'sion o t!e comp'ter operators and discipline oicers rom t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit o ran#and#ile employees in t!e -?C/ collective *ar&ainin& a&reement does not *ar any re#ne&otiation or t!e 't're incl'sion o t!e said employees in t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit+  As to t!e discipline oicers$ t!e 6o'rt a&ree t!at *ased on t!e nat're o t!eir d'ties$ t!ey are not conidential employees and s!o'ld t!ereore *e incl'ded in t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit o ran#and#ile employees+  As to t!e t!e employees o t!e 6olle&e o St+ 4enilde$ t!ey s!o'ld *e e.cl'ded rom t!e *ar&ainin& 'nit o  t!e ran#and#ile employees o Dela Salle University$ *eca'se t!e t%o ed'cational instit'tions !ave t!eir  o%n separate 8'ridical personality and no s'icient evidence %as s!o%n to 8'stiy t!e piercin& o t!e veil o  corporate iction+ n involvin& t!e incl'sion o a 'nion s!op cla'se$ t!e 6o'rt airm t!e r'lin&+ T!e vol'ntary ar*itrator opined t!at a 'nion s!op cla'se is not a restriction on t!e employees ri&!t o (sic) reedom o association *'t rat!er a valid orm o 'nion sec'rity %!ile t!e 64A is in orce and in accordance %it! t!e 6onstit'tional policy to promote 'nionism and collective *ar&ainin& and ne&otiations+ T!e parties t!ereore s!o'ld incorporate s'c! 'nion s!op cla'se in t!eir 64A+ n t!e iss'e re&ardin& t!e 'se o t!e :last#in#irst#o't; met!od$ t!e 6o'rt a&ree t!at as an e.ercise o  mana&ement prero&ative$ t!e University !as t!e ri&!t to adopt valid and e='ita*le &ro'nds as *asis or  terminatin& or transerrin& employees+ n t!e iss'e involvin& t!e Unions proposals on t!e deloadin& o t!e 'nion president$ T!e 6o'rt %e a&ree %it! t!e re8ection o t!e said demands$ t!ere *ein& no 8'stiia*le reason or t!e &rantin& o t!e same+ n t!e si.t! iss'e re&ardin& t!e indin& t!at t!e m'lti#sectoral committee in t!e University is t!e le&itimate &ro'p %!ic! determines and scr'tini>es t!e ann'al salary increases and rin&e *eneits o t!e employees o 

t!e University$ t!e 6o'rt inds t!at t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator did not &ravely a*'se !is discretion on t!is matter+ 4e t!at as it may$ ass'min& or t!e sae o ar&'ment t!at t!e said committee is t!e &ro'p responsi*le or  determinin& %a&e increases and rin&e *eneits$ as r'led *y t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator$ t!e committees determination m'st still *e *ased on d'ly a'dited inancial statements ollo%in& o'r r'lin& on t!e o'rt! iss'e+ n last iss'e involvin& t!e r'lin& t!at t!e @B s!are in t!e incremental t'ition proceeds$ t!e 6o'rt deems t!at any determination o t!is alle&ed error is 'nnecessary and irrelevant+ 9EREFRE$ premises considered$ t!e petitions in t!ese consolidated cases$ are partially RANTED+ T!e assailed decision o vol'ntary ar*itrator 4'enavent'ra 5a&salin is !ere*y AFFIR5ED %it! t!e modiication t!at t!e iss'e on salary increases or t!e second and t!ird years o t!e collective *ar&ainin& a&reement *e RE5ANDED to t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator or deinite resol'tion %it!in one mont! rom t!e inality o t!is Decision$ on t!e *asis o t!e e.ternally a'dited inancial statements o t!e University already s'*mitted *y t!e Union *eore t!e vol'ntary ar*itrator and ormin& part o t!e records+ S RDERED+