inguillo v first phil. scales

8/10/2019 Inguillo v First Phil. Scales

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Herminigildo Inguillo and Zenaida Bergante vs. First Philippine Scales, Inc. (FPSI)and/or Amparo Policarpio, manager.!. "o. #$%&' (une %, *''+)

In #++#, FPSI and First Philippine Scales Industries a-or nion (FPSI) entered intoa ollective Bargaining Agreement (BA) 0or a period o0 1ve (%) 2ears in a document

entitled RATIPIKASYON NG KASUNDUAN.Bergante and Inguillo, 3ho 3ere mem-erso0 FPSI, signed the said document.

Bergante, Inguillo and several FPSI emplo2ees 4oined another union,the Nagkakaisang Lakas ng Manggagawa("5). 67he latter8 1led 3ith the9epartment o0 a-or and :mplo2ment (9;:) an intra, #++$ denominated as ?Petis2on@ toFPSIs general manager, Amparo Policarpio (Policarpio), seeing the termination o0the services o0 6several emplo2ees, including herein petitioners. 7his 3as grantedupon -2 FPSI, 3hich terminated, among others, herein petitioners.8

In their Petition, Bergante and Inguillo assail the legalit2 o0 their termination -asedon the nion Securit2 lause in the BA -et3een FPSI and FPSI.

6(#) Cas there a valid ground 0or terminationD(*) Cas there compliance 3ith the procedural due process to the terminationD8

(1)Ees. 7he a-or ode o0 the Philippines has several provisions under 3hich anemplo2ee ma2 -e validl2 terminated, namel2 (#) 4ust causes under Article *>*G (*)authoried causes under Article *>G () termination due to disease under Article*>&G and (&) termination -2 the emplo2ee or resignation under Article *>%. Chilethe said provisions did not mention as ground the en0orcement o0 the nion Securit2lause in the BA, the dismissal 0rom emplo2ment -ased on the same is recogniedand accepted in our 4urisdiction.

?nion securit2@ is a generic term, 3hich is applied to and comprehends ?closedshop,@ ?union shop,@ ?maintenance o0 mem-ership@ or an2 other 0orm o0agreement 3hich imposes upon emplo2ees the o-ligation to acJuire or retain unionmem-ership as a condition aKecting emplo2ment. 7here is union shop 3hen all ne3regular emplo2ees are reJuired to 4oin the union 3ithin a certain period as acondition 0or their continued emplo2ment. 7here is maintenance o0 mem-ershipshop 3hen emplo2ees, 3ho are union mem-ers as o0 the eKective date o0 theagreement, or 3ho therea0ter -ecome mem-ers, must maintain union mem-ershipas a condition 0or continued emplo2ment until the2 are promoted or trans0erred out

o0 the -argaining unit or the agreement is terminated.

6&'8

A closed


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Bergante and Inguillo assail the legalit2 o0 their termination -ased on the nion

Securit2 lause in the BA -et3een FPSI and FPSI. Article II6&*8

o0 the BA

pertains to nion Securit2 and !epresentatives, 3hich provides

?7he ompan2 here-2 agrees to a "I;" S:!I7E 6AS:8 3ith the 0ollo3ing terms

#. All bonafde union members= = = = shall, as a condition to their continuedemployment,maintain their membershipwith the UNIONG= = =%. An2 emplo2ee/union mem-er 3ho ails to retain union membership ingood standingmay be recommended or suspension or dismissal by the Unionirectorate and!or "#$I%U &'ecutie ouncil = = =@

Leril2, the a0oresaid provision reJuires all mem-ers to maintain their mem-ership3ith FPSI during the li0etime o0 the BA. Failing so, and 0or an2 o0 the causesenumerated therein, the nion 9irectorate and/or FPSI :=ecutive ouncil ma2recommend to FPSI an emplo2ee/union mem-ers suspension or dismissal. !ecordssho3 that Bergante and Inguillo 3ere 0ormer mem-ers o0 FPSI -ased on their

signatures in the document 3hich rati1ed the BA. It can also -e in0erred that the2disaMliated 0rom FPSI 3hen the BA 3as still in 0orce and su-sisting, as can -egleaned 0rom the documents relative to the intra


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(*)"o. "onetheless, 3hile Ce uphold dismissal pursuant to a union securit2 clause,the same is not 3ithout a condition or restriction. 7he en0orcement o0 union securit2clauses is authoried -2 la3, provided such en0orcement is not characteried -2ar-itrariness, and al3a2s 3ith due process. 7here are t3o (*) aspects 3hichcharacterie the concept o0 due process under the a-or ode one is su-stantiveOO3hether the termination o0 emplo2ment 3as -ased on the provisions o0 the a-or

ode or in accordance 3ith the prevailing 4urisprudenceG the other is procedural

inguillo v first phil. scales

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