Samahang Manggagawa Sa Sulpicio Lines vs. Sulpicio Lines, Inc. - Case Digest

Samahang Manggagawa sa Sulpicio Lines vs. Sulpicio Lines, Inc. G.R. No. 140992. March 2, 2004. !"#$S% $he &nion 'ile( a no)ice o' s)ri*e (ue )o (ea(loc* wi)h )he N#M+N#R a')er )he renego)ia)ion 'or a #+" wi)h Sulpicio Lines remaine( a s)alema)e. Sulpicio in response 'ile( wi)h )he Secre)ar- o' Laor a pe)i)ion pra-ing )ha) )he Secre)ar- assume /uris(ic)ion over )he con)rovers-. Secre)ar- o' Laor issue( an r(er assuming  /uris(ic)ion  /uris(ic)ion over over )he laor (ispu)e (ispu)e an( en/oine( en/oine( an- s)ri*e s)ri*e or loc*o loc*ou) u) )he par)ies. $he &nion 'ile( a secon( no)ice o' s)ri*e alleging )ha) Sulpicio Lines commi))e( ac)s cons)i)u)ing &L amoun)ing )o union us)ing. $he &nion imme(ia)el- con(uc)e( a s)ri*e vo)e vo)e on )he same (a-. "s a resul), 13 ran*an('ile emplo-ees, o''icers an( memers (i( no) repor) 'or wor* an( ins)ea( ga)here( in 'ron) o' ier 12, Nor)h aror. Secre)ar- o' Laor issue( ano)her or(er (irec)ing )he emplo-ees )o re)urn )o wor* an( cer)i'-ing )he laor (ispu)e )o )he NLR# 'or compulsor- ari)ra)ion. Sulpicio Lines 'ile( a complain) 'or illegal s)ri*e5clearance s)ri*e5clearance 'or )ermina)ion wi)h )he NLR#. ISS&6 71% 8he)her or no) )he s)ri*e s)age( - union o''icers an( memers is illegal. 6L 71% :es, )he s)ri*e is illegal. $he union 'aile( )o compl- wi)h )he man(a)or- re;uiremen)s o' "r)icle "r)icle 2< =c> an( ='> o' )he Laor #o(e. $he language o' )he law leaves leaves no room 'or (ou) )ha) )he coolingo'' perio( an( )he seven(a- s)ri*e s)ri*e an a')er )he s)ri*evo)e s)ri*evo)e repor) were in)en(e( )o e man(a)or-. Such re;uiremen)s re;uiremen)s as )he 'iling o' a no)ice o' s)ri*e, s)ri*e vo)e, an( no)ice given )o )he epar)men) o' Laor are man(a)or- in na)ure. $hus, even i' )he union ac)e( in goo( 'ai)h in )he elie' )ha) )he compan- was was commi))ing an un'air laor prac)ice, i' no no)ice o' s)ri*e an( a s)ri*e vo)e were con(uc)e(, )he sai( s)ri*e is illegal. ISS&6 72% 8he)her or no) )here was in(ee( a s)ri*e. 6L 72% :es, )here was a s)ri*e. In a (espera)e a))emp) )o /us)i'- i)s posi)ion, pe)i)ioner insis)s )ha) wha) )ranspire( on Ma- 20, 1994 was no) a s)ri*e u) merel- a ?one(a- wor* asence@ or a ?simple ac) o' asen)eeism,@ 8e are no) convince(. " s)ri*e, as (e'ine( in "r)icle 212 =o> o' )he Laor #o(e, as amen(e(, means ?an- )emporar- s)oppage o'

wor* - )he concer)e( ac)ion o' emplo-ees as a resul) o' an in(us)rial or laor (ispu)e.@ $he )erm ?s)ri*e@ shall comprise no) onl- concer)e( wor* s)oppages, u) also slow(owns, mass leaves, si)(owns, a))emp)s )o (amage, (es)ro- or sao)age plan) e;uipmen) an( 'acili)ies, an( similar ac)ivi)ies.