Marino vs. Gamilla et. al. G.R. No.

149763, July 7, 2009 FACTS: Petitioners are among the exe uti!e o""i ers an# #ire tors o" $ni!ersity o" %anto &omas 'a ulty $nion ($%&'$) *hile res+on#ents are om+ose# o" $%& "a ulty an# $%&'$ mem,ers. &he #is+ute arose *hen $%& an# $%&'$, re+resente# ,y +etitioners herein, entere# a -emoran#um o" .greement (-/.) *here,y $%& "a ulty mem,ers ,elonging to the 01. unit *ere grante# a##itional P42 million e onomi ,ene"its an# at the same time sti+ulate# a 102 he 34o"" o!er sai# ,ene"its to o!er union #ues an# s+e ial assessment "or 5a,or 6#u ation 'un# an# attorney7s "ees. Res+on#ents "ile# *ith the -e# .r,iter a om+laint assailing, among others, the he 34o"" "or union #ues an# attorney7s "ees olle te# un#er the -/. "or ,eing !iolati!e o" the rights an# on#itions o" mem,ershi+ in $%&'$. 8/56 Regional 8ire tor, ,y !irtue o" an or#er onsoli#ating all the om+laints ,y the res+on#ents, ren#ere# among others a #e ision in "a!or o" the latter an# rule# that the he 34o"" olle te# as negotiation "ees *ere in!ali#. 1oth the 15R an# 0., on a++eal, .''9R-68 sai# #e ision an# or#ere# to return to the general mem,ershi+ the amount olle te# ,y *ay o" attorney7s "ees: hen e this +etition. ISSUE: 9s the he 34o"" o" union #ues an# s+e ial assessment o" attorney7s "ees inserte# in the *ritten authori;ation rati"ying the -/. ,ene"its !ali#< HELD: NO. &he e onomi ,ene"its +a 3age grante# un#er the -/. #i# not onstitute union "un#s "rom *hi h attorney7s "ees oul# ha!e ,een !ali#ly #e#u te#. $n#er .rti le 222(,), attorney7s "ees may only ,e +ai# "rom union "un#s: yet the amount to ,e use# in +aying "or the same #oes not ,e ome union "un#s until it is a tually #e#u te# as attorney7s "ees "rom the ,ene"its a*ar#e# to the em+loyees. =hat the la* re>uires is that the "un#s ,e alrea#y #eeme# union "un#s e!en ,e"ore the attorney7s "ees are #e#u te# or +ai# there "rom: it #oes not ,e ome union "un#s a"ter the #e#u tion or +ayment. &o rule other*ise *ill also ren#er the general +rohi,ition state# in .rti le 222(,) nugatory, ,e ause all that the union nee#s to #o is to #e#u t "rom the total ,ene"its a*ar#e# to the em+loyees the amount inten#e# "or attorney7s "ees an#, thus, ? on!ert@ the latter to union "un#s, *hi h oul# then ,e use# to +ay "or the sai# attorney7s "ees. 'urthermore, the in lusion o" the authori;ation "or a he 34o"" o" union #ues an# s+e ial assessments "or the 5a,or 6#u ation 'un# an# attorney7s "ees in the same #o ument "or the rati"i ation o" the -/. granting the e onomi ,ene"its +a 3age, ne essarily !itiate# the onsent o" $%&'$ mem,ers "or there *as no *ay "or any in#i!i#ual union mem,er

to se+arate his or her onsent to the rati"i ation o" the -/. "rom his or her authori;ation o" the he 34o"" o" union #ues an# s+e ial assessments. .s it *ere, the rati"i ation o" the -/. arrie# *ith it the automati authori;ation o" the he 34o"" o" union #ues an# s+e ial assessments in "a!or o" the union. %u,stantial om+lian e is not enough in !ie* o" the "a t that the s+e ial assessment *ill #iminish the om+ensation o" the union mem,ers. &heir ex+ress onsent is re>uire#, an# this onsent must ,e o,taine# in a or#an e *ith the ste+s outline# ,y la*, *hi h must ,e "ollo*e# to the letter. &he 0ourt "urther #etermines that the re>uisites "or a !ali# le!y an# he 34o"" o" s+e ial assessments, lai# #o*n ,y .rti le 241(n) an# (o), res+e ti!ely, o" the 5a,or 0o#e, as amen#e#, ha!e not ,een om+lie# *ith in the ase at ,ar. &o re all, these re>uisites areA (1) an authori;ation ,y a *ritten resolution o" the maBority o" all the union mem,ers at the general mem,ershi+ meeting #uly alle# "or the +ur+ose: (2) se retaryCs re or# o" the minutes o" the meeting: an# (3) in#i!i#ual *ritten authori;ation "or he 34o"" #uly signe# ,y the em+loyee on erne#.D1 9n the ase, the in lusion o" the authori;ation "or a he 34o"" o" union #ues an# s+e ial assessments "or the 5a,or 6#u ation 'un# an# attorney7s "ees, in the same #o ument "or the rati"i ation o" the -/. granting the P42 million e onomi ,ene"its +a 3age, ne essarily !itiate# the onsent o" $%&'$ mem,ers.