DUNLOP DUNLOP SLAZENGER SLAZENGER (PHILS.), (PHILS.), INC., INC., petitioner, vs. HON. SECRET SECRETAR ARY Y OF LABOR LABOR AND EMPLOYM EMPLOYMENT ENT and DUNLOP DUNLOP SLAZENGER STAFF ASSOCIATION - APSOTEU, respondents.
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Fact! On September 15, 1995, Dunlop-Slazenger Staf Assoc. (DSSA !led a "etition #or $ert. %lection be#ore DO&% "ampanga, alleging t'at it is a legitimate labor organization, a dul c'artered local o# Asso Associ ciat ated ed "ro# "ro#es essi sion onal al,, Supe Superv rvis isor or O)ce O)ce * +ec'n ec'nic ical al %mploees %mploees nion (A"SO+%. (A"SO+%. DSSA #urt'er #urt'er alleged alleged t'at Dunlop Slazenger nc. (DS is an unorganized establis'ment, t'at t'ere is no $A barring t'e !ling o# t'e petition #or cert. election, and t'at no cert. election 'as been conducted /it'in 1 ear prior to !ling o# t'e petition #or cert. election.
urt'er to t'is, t'e Secretar agrees /it' t'e ed-Arb decision in stating stating t'at DSSA 'as su)cientl su)cientl complied /it' t'e mandator reportoria reportoriall re:uireme re:uirements nts provided provided under t'e &abor $ode 77s (Section 6, 7ule , oo3 C.
n response, DS !led its Ans/er /0otion to Dismiss on October 9, 1995 based on t'ree grounds2 1. DSSA is comprise comprised d o# supervis supervisor or and ran3-and ran3-and-!l -!le e %%s and cannot act as bargaining agent #or t'e proposed unit. 4. A single certi!c certi!cation ation electio election n cannot be conduct conducted ed ointl ointl among supervisor and ran3-and-!le %%s. 6. DSSA DSSA lac3 lac3s s lega legall stan standi ding ng since since it #ailed #ailed to submit submit its its boo3s o# accounts. DSSA, in its 7epl, stated t'at its members are supervisors and 8O+ ran3-and-!le %%s, and averred t'at all members are paid mont'l b DS. DSSA also alleged t'at t'e bargaining unit it /ants to represent is made up o# t'e mont'l paid supervisor emplo emploees ees and ot'er ot'er person personnel nel /'o cannot cannot be classi classi!ed !ed as belonging belonging to t'e ran3-and-!le. ran3-and-!le. t also contended contended t'at it 'as no obligation to attac' its boo3s o# accounts since it is a legitimate labor organization. inall, it urged t'at t'e certi!cation election proceeding cannot be used to :uestion t'e legal personalit o# a labor organization. On arc' ;, 199<, 'o/ever, DSSA submitted its ne/ boo3s o# acco accoun unts ts cons consis isti ting ng o# t'e t'e $as' $as' 7ece 7eceip ipts ts =our =ourna nal, l, $as' $as' Disbursements =ournal and t/o (4 ledgers. ed-A ed-Arbit rbiter er grante granted d t'e petiti petition on on =ul =ul 5, 199<, 199<, /it' /it' t'e Secretar o# &abor a)rming t'e decision, citing Art. 4;5 (451>n?
7 /as !led b DS but /as denied.
I+# O8 t'e DSSA can !le a "etition #or $ert. %lection to represent t'e supervisor %%s o# t'e DS. NO. "etition o# DS meritorious. H#d! +'e $ourt !rst reiterated t'at supervisors can create or oin an appropriat appropriate e bargaining bargaining unit, in accordanc accordance e /it' earlier rulings rulings stating t'at a +nt t %# a''at# $+t #4#ct a '+n * #$1## 0" "a3# +%tanta, $+t+a nt#'#t n 0a#, "+', 0'&n cndtn and t"#' +%5#ct * resolution o# t'e case, t'ere#or t'ere#ore, e, c#ct3# %a'ann. %a'ann. +'e resolution revo revolv lves es arou around nd O8 O8 t'e t'e unio union n is sole solel l comp compos osed ed o# supervisor %%s. n determining t'e diference bet/een supervisor and ran3-and!le %%s, t'e &abor $odeEs de!nitions according to Art. 414>41F,n? (m and Section 1(t, 7ule , oo3 C o# t'e Omnibus 7ules o# t'e &abor $ode /ere used. GGanagerial emploee is one /'o is vested /it' po/ers or prerogatives prerogatives to la do/n and eHecute management policies and0or to 'ire, trans#er, suspend, laof, recall, disc'arge, assign or discipline emploees. S+#'3' S+#'3'1 1 #$1## #$1## a'# t"# t"# 0", n t"# nt#'#t nt#'#t * t"# #$1#', #4#ct3#1 '#c$$#nd +c" $ana#'a actn * t"# #/#'c# * +c" a+t"'t1 nt $#'#1 '+tna'1 ' c#'ca n nat+'# %+t '#6+'# t"# +# * nd##nd#nt 5+d$#nt. A #$1## nt *an 0t"n an1 * t"# a%3# d#2ntn a'# cnd#'#d 'an&-and-2# #$1## *' +'# * t" B& .B B& .B
+'e status test #or supervisors is O8 an emploee possesses
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As t'e case states, t'e list o# mont'l paid %%s submitted b DS contain t'e names o#2 4F supervisor %%s < managerial %%s 1 con!dential %% 4< o)ce and tec'nical %%s 'olding various positions /'ic' /ere s'o/n b t'e $ourt as ran3-and-!le positions due to t'e positions not carring t'e aut'orit to act in t'e interest o# t'e emploer, or to recommend managerial actions. • • • •
+'e $ourt also states t'at it is not decisive t'at t'ese emploees are mont'l paid emploees, as t'eir mode o# compensation is usuall a matter o# convenience and does not necessaril determine t'e nature and c'aracter o# t'eir ob.
+'e Secretar o# &abor also erred in stating t'at t'e in!rmit is remedied b conducting t'e @pre-election con#erence t'roug' eHclusion-inclusion proceedingsB, stating t'at t'ere is an misappreciation o# t'e antipat' bet/een t'e interest o# supervisors and ran3-and-!le %%s. As 'eld in Toyota Motor Philippines v. Toyota Motors Philippines Corporation Labor Union 2 @a labor organization composed o# bot' ran3-and-!le and supervisor emploees is no labor organization at all. t cannot, #or an guise or purpose, be a legitimate labor organization. 8ot being one, an 'an8atn 0"c" ca''# a $/t+'# * 'an&-and-2# and +#'3'1 #$1## cannt # an1 * t"# '"t * a #t$at# a%' 'an8atn, nc+dn t"# '"t t 2# a #ttn *' c#'t2catn ##ctn *' t"# +'# * c#ct3# %a'ann. t becomes necessar, t'ere#ore, anterior to the granting of an order allo/ing a certi!cation election, t n6+'# nt t"# c$tn * an1 a%' 'an8atn /'enever t'e status o# t'e labor organization is c'allenged on t'e basis o# Article 4;5 o# t'e &abor $ode.B
As a result, DSSA 'as no legal rig't to !le a "etition #or $erti!cation %lection to represent a bargaining unit #or supervisors as long as it counts ran3-and-!le %%s in its ran3s.
