SSSEA (petitioner) vs. C.A.

(respondents)
Nature: Petition
Facts:

On July, 1987, SSS filed a petition with the RTC of Quezon City a complaint for damages against
the petitioners (SSSEA).
o The latter barricaded the entrance to the SSS building thus damaging the operations of the
SSS and preventing non-striking workers from going to work.
SSSEA went on strike for the following reasons:
o implementation of the provisions of the old SSS-SSSEA collective bargaining agreement
o Conversion of contractal workers into permanent employees
RTC issued a Temporary Restraining Order to the petitioners
o This was made into an injunction later on through a resolution that stated:
The strike was illegal.
RTC issued a temporary restraining order on Feb. 1989 enjoining the petitioners from staging
another strike.
The position of the petitioners is that the Regional Trial Court had no jurisdiction to hear the case
initiated by the SSS and to issue the restraining order and the writ of preliminary injunction, as
jurisdiction lay with the Department of Labor and Employment or the National Labor Relations
Commission, since the case involves a labor dispute
SSS states that their employees are covered by civil service laws, rules and regulations thus RTC
had jurisdiction and can enjoin the employees from striking.
C.A. held that SSS employees are government employees thus they are not allowed to strike.

Issue: whether or not the Regional Trial Court can enjoin the Social Security System Employees
Association (SSSEA) from striking and order the striking employees to return to work. Collaterally, it is
whether or not employees of the Social Security System (SSS) have the right to strike
Decision:

Government Employees are covered in the prohibition to strike.

They are thus under the jurisdiction of the RTC to enjoin the workers to return to work
The strike is illegal because Government employees are not allowed to strike
In the 1987 Constitution (Article 13)
o There is right for government employees to organize but it is silent as to whether they
have the right to strike.
o Having the right to organize does not lead to a right to strike
The strike done is illegal thus an injunction to restrain it may be issued.
The RTC acted within its jurisdiction to issue the injunction to prohibit the strike.