LABOR RELATIONS:

Topic: September 2,2015 - 

BLR -
The Bureau, Its History, Mandate and Mission
The BUREAU OF LABOR RELATIONS covers the important aspects of labor relations. We set the
environment for a healthy relationship by making both the employer and the employee aware of their
rights and obligations (using LEES). We promote collective negotiations (by advocating the right to
self-organization). We provide mechanisms to fix strained relationships through adjudication. Most of
all, we foster an environment where employers and employees can reach a compromise regarding
their issues and contribute in policy-making (through the TIPC). We are an embodiment of the
President’s overarching goal of promoting industrial peace based on social justice.
History 
The Bureau was established on January 16, 1957 pursuant to Executive Order No. 213 and the
Organization Plan 20-A. It took over the Conciliation Service and the Registrar of Labor
Organizations created under R.A. 875 and served as a planning, policy making, consultative and
advisory body in the promotion and maintenance of industrial peace.
To date the Bureau continues its mandate to develop policies, programs, projects, operation
guidelines and standards relative to labor-management relations.
The Bureau also provides advisory to the Office of the Secretary and the Regional Offices on
administration and enforcement of laws pertaining to labor-management relations including worker’s
organization, registration, and development and resolution of appealed inter- and intra-union
disputes.
Mandate
National registry of unions and CBAs;
Formulate regulatory and developmental policies, standards, guidelines and programs promoting the
right to organize, including collective bargaining and improvement of the income of workers and their
organizations;
Lead agency in workers and employers education;
Adjudicate inter- and intra-union disputes;
Promote bipartism and tripartism; and
Formulation and implementation of programs that strengthen trade unionism to achieve industrial
peace.
Mission 
1. As a registry.
To gather, generate, process and interpret relevant, timely and accurate labor relations information
for policy-makers, decision-makers, unions, employers and the public at large.
2. As a policy-making and program development agency.
To provide workers with expeditious procedures in the formation and registration of unions or other
workers’ organizations, as well as in collective bargaining negotiations.
To provide unions with clear policies, procedures and guidelines in the administration of their internal
activities and at the same time respecting union autonomy.
To provide parties to inter-union, intra-union, and other disputes with expeditious and non-litigious
procedures in the management and resolution of disputes.
To initiate and recommend, after consultation with employers and workers, appropriate legislative
proposals on labor relations.
To strengthen trade union and other workers’ organizations through the provision of accessible
facilities as well as training, educational and technical assistance.
To provide livelihood assistance as a means of enhancing income, income opportunities and
employment generation.
3. As the lead agency for labor education.
To provide workers and employers, organized or unorganized, with updated information on their
rights, obligations, and benefits using various forms of information and communication
To source funds for setting up programs for the private sector intended to encourage them to
become partners with the government in the conduct of labor education.
4. As a dispute adjudication agency.
To resolve disputes with finality within twenty (20) days from submission of the case for resolution,
but in no case to exceed forty-five (45) days from filing of the case in appealed cases and two
months in original cases, and to keep the dockets current.
To have a zero-reversal rate of appealed decisions of the Bureau.
To execute all the Bureau’s decisions promptly and in full.
5. As an advocate of bipartism and tripartism.
To provide the agenda for the social partners for sustaining a mechanism for dialogue, consultation
and information exchange toward building consensus and action plans on social and economic
issues, policies and programs.
To initiate the development of programs to encourage workers and employers to set up bipartite and
tripartite mechanism for open communication, information and responsibility sharing and joint
decision-making.
6. As a social partners of workers in national development.
To strengthen trade unionism and other workers’ organizations by promoting programs through the
provision of accessible information facilities as well as training, education and technical assistance.

The constitutional provision on protection to labor

“The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized and unorganized, and
promote full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all. It shall guarantee the
rights of all workers to self-organization, collective bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful
concerted activities, including the right to strike in accordance with law. They shall be entitled to
security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage. They shall also participate in policy
and decision-making processes affecting their rights and benefits as may be provided by law.
“The State shall promote the principle of shared responsibility between workers and employers and
the preferential use of voluntary modes in settling disputes, including conciliation, and shall enforce
their mutual compliance therewith to foster industrial peace.
“The State shall regulate the relations between workers and employers, recognizing the right of labor
to its just share in the fruits of production and the right of enterprises to reasonable returns on
investments, and to expansion and growth.”