Brotherhood Labor Unity Movement VS NLRC
Brotherhood Labor Unity Movement VS NLRC
Brotherhood Labor Unity Movement VS NLRC
FACTS:
Complainants in this case are workers who were employed at the San Miguel Parola
Glass Factory averaging about seven (7) years of service at the time of their termination.
They worked at the SMC Plant as "cargadores" or "pahinante" tasked with loading,
unloading, piling or palleting empty bottles and woosen shells to and from company
trucks and warehouses. They also accompanied the company trucks on their delivery
routes. These workers first reported for work to Superintendent-in-Charge Camahort who
issues to them gate passes. The company provided them with tools, equipment and
paraphernalia used in their activities.
Job orders came from Camahort. Which are then handed to an assistant-officer-in-
charge who informs the warehousemen and checkers regarding the orders. Said orders are
relayed to the group leaders who then give instructions to the workers.
Work in the glass factory depended wholly on the volume of bottles manufactured to
be loaded and unloaded. Work day was not fixed at 8 hours. There were times it exceeded
8 hours and they were required to render work on Sundays and holidays. No overtime or
additional compensation was paid to them for these instances.
Workers were paid every ten (10) days on piece-rate based on the number of cartons
and wooden shells they were able to load, unload, or pile.
The complainants worked exclusive at the SMC plant. When any of the glass furnaces
suffered a breakdown, making a shutdown necessary, the work was temporarily
suspended. As soon as things were fixed, they would return to work at the glass plant.
There was no written contract specifying the performance of a specified piece of work,
the nature and extent of the work and the duration of their engagement.
Later, the workers organized and affiliated themselves with SMC’s employees union
and engaged in union activities. They tried to bargain with management who did not heed
to any of their demands. San Miguel refused to bargain alleging that the workers are not
their employee, and their real employer was Guaranteed Labor Contractor, an
independent labor contracting firm.
Their jobs were dismissed.
ISSUE:
Whether or not an employee-employer relationship exists between San Miguel
Corporation and the workers