COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

A just share to the fruits of ones labor is a right guaranteed to all

worers! "ow this right #an be e$er#ised %rudentl& is the 'ain #on#ern of
the 'odule! Colle#ti(e bargaining entails a 'e'bershi% that understands
its res%onsibilit& fro' the 'o'ent a #olle#ti(e bargaining negotiation is
%ro%osed until the ti'e that an agree'ent is finall& i'%le'ented!
)"AT I* COLLECTIVE BARGAINING+
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiating an agreement
regarding the terms and conditions of employment through a system of
shared responsibility and decision-making between labor and
management.
)"AT ARE T"E ,O-R E**ENTIAL ELE.ENT* O, COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING+
<Legal! Collective bargaining is a process of negotiating an
agreement.
E#ono'i#! Its contents specify the terms and conditions of
employment (e.g., salary/wage increase, benefits, etc.).
/oliti#al! he agreement is a product of a negotiation between labor
and management.
.oral! It involves a system of shared responsibility and decision-
making.
)"0 I* COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AN I./ORTANT A*/ECT O,
LABOR1.ANAGE.ENT RELATION*+
Colle#ti(e bargaining is i'%ortant be#ause it %ro'otes the rights
and ideals of labor!
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Right to life! Collective bargaining is a means of improving workers!
standard of living through "ust compensation and humane
working conditions.
Right to wor! It guarantees security of tenure and employees promotion
on the basis of seniority.
Right to e2uit&! It defines the right and responsibilities of labor and
management.
Right to %arti#i%ate. It affords participation to labor in running an
enterprise through shared decision-making, control,
management, and ownership of the means of production.
Industrial %ea#e! It includes machinery for settling grievance or labor-
disputes on employment #related issues.
)"O ARE T"E /ARTIE* INVOLVE3 IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING+
The union as the worers re%resentati(e and the 'anage'ent as
the e'%lo&ers re%resentati(e! Note that onl& a dul& registered union
that is re#ogni4ed as the e$#lusi(e #olle#ti(e bargaining agent of worers
#an undertae the #olle#ti(e bargaining %ro#ess!
)"O .A0 BE COVERE3 IN A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREE.ENT+
A##ording to the Labor Code5 onl& ran1and1file e'%lo&ees %erfor'
fun#tions that do not in#lude for'ulating5 re#o''ending5 or e$e#uting
'anage'ent %oli#ies1 job des#ri%tions that are reser(ed to 'anagerial
e'%lo&ees! Rand1and1file is di(ided into four grou%s6 #asual5 #ontra#tual5
%robationar& and regular! Of the four grou%s5 onl& regular e'%lo&ees are
in#luded in the union #o(erage of 'ost #olle#ti(e bargaining agree'ents!
Contra#tual5 #asual5 and %robationar& e'%lo&ees howe(er5 'a& also for'
their own unions for #olle#ti(e bargaining %ur%oses!
)"AT I**-E* ARE 3I*C-**E3 IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING+
Two inds of issues are generall& dis#ussed in #olle#ti(e bargaining6
E#ono'i# Issues
7! Che#1off 8%a&'ent of union fees9!
:! )oring da&s and hours
;! *alar& in#reases < allowan#es < bonuses < %rofit1sharing
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=! Lea(es
>! O(erti'e < holida&< shift %re'iu's
?! E'%lo&ee welfare 8e!g!5 hos%itali4ation benefits5 dental
benefits5 et#!9
Non1E#ono'i# Issues
7! -nion re#ognition < #o(erage
:! 3efinition of e'%lo&ees #ategor&
;! -nion se#urit&
=! Rights and res%onsibilities of %arties
>! *e#urit& of tenure
?! *eniorit&
@! Grie(an#e 'a#hiner&
A! Arbitration
B! Cob e(aluation and wage and salar& ad'inistration
7D! E'%lo&ee ser(i#es 8e!g!5 worers edu#ation5 job
enri#h'ent5 et#!9!
77! No strie < no lo#out
)"AT ARE T"E /ROCE**E* INVOLVE3 IN COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING+
/re%aration
/re%aration in#ludes resear#hing and for'ulating %ro%osals! A
#olle#ti(e bargaining resear#h 'ust tae into #onsideration the e#ono'i#
fa#tors on whi#h union de'ands are based6 'ini'u' budget
re2uire'ents5 #ost of li(ing5 %rodu#ti(it&5 #o'%an&s abilit& to %a&5 industr&
%ra#ti#es et#! The result of the data anal&sis of these e#ono'i# fa#tors
deter'ines the #ontent of a #olle#ti(e bargaining %ro%osal!
A union engaged in #olle#ti(e bargaining %re%ares two sets of
resear#h studies! The fist #ontains the de'ands of the union based on its
resear#h findings! These de'ands are %resented to the general
'e'bershi% for ado%tion or a%%ro(al5 after whi#h the& be#o'e %ro%osals
that are then sub'itted to the 'anage'ent for #olle#ti(e bargaining
%ur%oses! The se#ond resear#h stud& is a definition of the argu'ents
su%%orting the %ro%osals of the union! This resear#h stud& is sub'itted to
the 3e%art'ent of Labor and E'%lo&'ent 83OLE9 to be used as a referen#e
'aterial should the negotiation rea#h a deadlo# as to re2uire 'ediation or
#on#iliation and arbitration!
Negotiation
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Negotiation is the a#tual deliberation of %ro%osals b& the union and
the 'anage'ent! It is #o'%osed of fi(e stages6
7! The union sub'its a noti#e to negotiate together with its
%ro%osals to the #o'%an&!
:! The #o'%an& answers the noti#e to negotiate within ten 87D9 da&s
after re#ei%t of said noti#e!
;! The unions bargaining re%resentati(es and the 'anage'ent hold
'eetings and #onferen#es to dis#uss the %ro%osal!
4. If both %arties agree on the %ro%osal5 a #olle#ti(e bargaining
agree'ent is signed! If not5 then a deadlo# or a disagree'ent
regarding #ertain %ro%osals ensues between labor and
'anage'ent!
3uring a deadlo#5 the union 'a& file a noti#e of strie while the
#o'%an& 'a& file a noti#e of lo#out to the 3OLE! Both
%arties5 howe(er5 'a& o%t for #on#iliation and 'ediation in
whi#h go(ern'ent re%resentati(es through whi#h #on#iliators
or 'ediators hel% labor and 'anage'ent in settling their
disagree'ent! If the deadlo# is not resol(ed within thirt&
da&s5 the union #an go on strie while the #o'%an& #an
lo#out %ro(ided the& ha(e sub'itted a winning strie1(ote or
lo#out1(ote se(en da&s %rior to intended date of strie or
lo#out! The 3OLE5 on the other hand5 'a& ele(ate the #ase to
#o'%ulsor& arbitration! A de#ision arri(ed at in #o'%ulsor&
arbitration is a%%eal able u% to the *u%re'e Court!
>! The CBA is %resented to the general 'e'bershi% for ratifi#ation!
A CBA5 to be #onsidered ratified5 re2uires a (ote of not less than
one1half of the total 'e'bershi% of the union! This %ro#edure5
howe(er5 is not a%%li#able to agree'ents whose #ontents are
results of #o'%ulsor& arbitration!
I'%le'entation
The 'erit of a #olle#ti(e bargaining agree'ent lies to a great e$tent
of the i'%le'entation of its %ro(ision! .ost CBAs ha(e a ter' of three
&ears! The date of effe#ti(it& of a %ro(ision 8e!g!5 wage in#rease9 is usuall&
s%e#ified in the agree'ent! "ow this %ro(ision is %ut into %ra#ti#e is
subje#t to the inter%retation of labor and 'anage'ent5 a %ro#ess that
so'eti'es leads to a dis%ute! To a##o''odate the #onfli#t5 CBAs in#lude
'a#hiner& for settling grie(an#es or dis%utes!
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"O) CAN .E.BER* "EL/ T"E -NION 3-RING T"E COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING /ROCE**+
/re%aration
7! *tud& the signifi#ant labor laws and related legislations!
:! Assist in gathering data b& ad'inistering 2uestionnaires
and inter(iew s#hedules and b& resear#hing on #ost of
li(ing5 industr& %ra#ti#es5 et#!
;! "el% #ollate data!
=! Be realisti# in #osting &our de'ands! Consider not onl&
&our benefit but also the #urrent %osition of &our #o'%an&!
>! -nderstand &our unions #olle#ti(e bargaining %ro%osals!
?! "el% in disse'inating infor'ation and in e$%laining &our
unions #olle#ti(e bargaining %ro%osals to other 'e'bers!
@! /arti#i%ate in all #olle#ti(e bargaining1related 'eetings or
a#ti(ities5 %arti#ularl& in the a%%ro(al of %ro%osals!
Negotiation
7! Be su%%orti(e of &our bargaining re%resentati(es!
:! Eee% &oursel(es a%%rised on the %rogress of the
negotiation!
;! Be %resent in #onsultation 'eetings #alled b& &our union
during the negotiation
=! In #ase of a deadlo# and the #onse2uent arbitration that
follows5 be #oo%erati(e with the #on#iliators or arbitrators!
>! Let fa#ts and realities5 not e'otions5 di#tate &our a#tions
during a strie! Consider what &ou will gain and what &ou
will e(entuall& lose in the %ro#ess!
?! Be fle$ible! 0our de'ands 'a& be 'odified without
ne#essaril& defeating the obje#ti(es of &our union!
@! .ae sure that &ou %arti#i%ate in the ratifi#ation of &our
CBA!
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A! 3o not bla'e &our bargaining re%resentati(es if the CBA
does not #ontain all the %ro%osals that &ou %resented! A
CBA5 after all5 a %rodu#t of #olle#ti(e effort! 0ou are e2uall&
res%onsible for the agree'ent as 'u#h as &our
re%resentati(es!
I'%le'entation
7! *tud& &our CBA! .ae sure that &our union and the
'anage'ent agrees on a #o''on understanding of the
agree'ent!
:! .onitor the i'%le'entation of the CBA!
;! Abide b& the %ro(isions of the CBA!
=! *hould a CBA (iolation o##ur5 e$haust the grie(an#e
'a#hiner& to settle the #onfli#t within the #o'%an&!
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