(1) ANTAMOK GOLDFIELDS MINING COMPANY, v CIR, and NATIONAL LABOR The agreement was signed by the parties

ned by the parties on Jan 4, 1939, but the workers did not
UNION, INC. June 28, 1940 appear until 9 am on the 6th of Jan.
Appeal by certiorari ANTAMOK management did not allow any worker to enter the underground
Protection to Labor: Balancing of Power section known as "830 level" as the air on the area had been vitiated by the
IMPERIAL, J strike and it was necessary to renew it with pure air with the to prevent
FACTS unfortunate incident. This precaution was taken by the workers as a refusal of
Dec 12, 1938, NLU addressed a letter (signed by 800 workers) to ANTAMOK ANTAMOK to have them work again, so they went on strike again.
requesting 21 claims (demanding higher pay and better working conditions) in
favor of its members. The workers who worked in the mine called "680 division," which is another
Jan 2, 1939: ANTAMOK officials summoned a meeting and informed their EEs separate mine located 3 kilometers from the factory, joined the strikers
that: sympathetically.
- some of the claims had been accepted and had already been put into practice
- others would be considered Once again the DOL through the mediation of Eladio C. Leaño, the workers
- the rest would go be rejected as unreasonable. returned to work on the night of January 6, 1939.
EEs were also advised not to resort to violence and to observe legal methods in
the settlement of their differences. Jan 9, 1939 the DOL endorsed the dispute to the Court of Industrial Relations in
accordance with A4 of Commonwealth Law No. 103.
On the evening of the same day, the EEs went on strike. CIR discussed the 21 claims of the NLU. The parties agreed on some of them,
others were submitted to the Court's decision and the others were left pending,
ANTAMOK immediately informed the DOL of this strike and requested its to be resolved later.
intervention.
Mar 31, 1939, NLU filed a complaint w/ CIR
DOL convened a conference attended by ANTAMOK officials, the strikers' Allegations:
representative and Luis Lardizabal, the head of the Baguio Federation of Labor, a - foreman A. Haber and 9 other workers had been suspended indefinitely on
labor organization affiliated with the NLU, Inc. As a result of the conference, an Mar 29;
amicable settlement was agreed upon: - these workers had previously been transferred to external work in order to
provide ANTAMOK with an excuse to separate them later from service
xxx the parties hereby mutually agree to end the said strike under the condition that all - another group of about 30 workers were dismissed by the company without
laborers will be readmitted upon the execution of this agreement; provided, that all any reason and without authorization from the court
laborers whose services should be dispensed with due to lack of work in those tunnels - that the suspensions and separations thus made were acts of revenge and
where they are no longer needed will be given not less than 15 days employment from the discrimination against the workers,
date of this settlement or resumption of work, and provided, further, that as soon as the Prayer:
stopes in 1360 and 1460 levels are opened and the services of men are needed, the - the staff of ANTAMOK responsible for such acts be punished by contempt
company will give preference to efficient laborers when reducing the personnel as above - that ANTAMOK be forced to reinstate the workers and to pay their backwages
mentioned in those working places and may transfer them to other division to replace
inefficient men. ANTAMOK's defense:
- Haber and his 9 companions were suspended for their continued laziness
during working hours and for having consistently refused to work connection with the company terminated upon termination of the working
- the 45 workers headed by foreman Victoriano Madayag were dismissed for place in which he is employed is not supported by the facts. It has been shown
having refused to point out those responsible for the assault of foreman Juan that as a general rule when work in a place is completed, workers are
Moldero on the morning of March 30, 1939. transferred to another working place in one level or to another level.
- It is alleged that mining operations in the property vary and involve several
CIR granted the complainant's prayers. Other ruling and findings: types, and that a miner, for example, may be good in one type, but that it does
- ANTAMOK was enjoined to refrain from discharging any laborer involved in not necessarily follow that he can do good work in another type. And that the
the dispute without just cause and without previous authority of the Court. employment of men in particular jobs not suitable for them increased the cost of
- the dismissal and the indefinite suspension were made without seeking the production as a result of lower output. Consequently, the respondent
authority of the Court. vehemently insists in its right of selecting the men that it should employ and
- the charge that Haber and the group of nine laborers were indefinitely that in the exercise of this right it should not be restrained or interfered with by
suspended of continuous loafing and refusal to work was not established. the Court. It contends that as to fitness of a laborer to do a particular type of
- the discharge of Victoriano Madayag and his 44 companions as a result of the work the opinion of the management or its technical men should be respected.
Moldero incident also lacks justification. But all these arguments are meaningless in the face of the finding of the Court
- as previously found, in the order of this Court of March 21, 1939, about 134 that the underground laborers transferred to the 'outside' work are not wanting
underground laborers were transferred and made to work 'outside of the mines'. in experience, efficiency and other conditions alleged to be found among the
The majority of these men were muckers, miners, timbermen, trammers, and fresh laborers. The special qualifications to do particular work can not rightly be
mine helpers who had worked in the mines of ANTAMOK from 6 months to 5 invoked in favor of the employment of new laborers most specially in those
years. Among them are leaders of the movement of the laborers. cases of common or unskilled labor like muckers, trammers, helpers, etc.
- work existed and exists underground and inside the tunnels, and the workers'
transfers were made to provide an opportunity to the company to dispense with Under normal circumstances, the exercise of judgment of the employer in
their services as soon as the work is completed. selecting men he is to employ should not be interfered with. But when such
-Proof to support this fact: more than 400 workers of different classes among judgment is arbitrarily exercised to the prejudice of members of a labor union
them, muckers, miners, timbermen, trammers and capataces have been whose rights should be safeguarded in consonance with the policies of the law,
employed as fresh laborers. Almost all, if not all, of these men are not members the Court not only feels it justified but rightly its duty to interfere to afford
of NLU Inc. protection to the laborers affected.
At the same time the work in different tunnels and division in the mines
are allegedly being completed, the old workers are being laid off. ANTAMOK MR. MR was denied.
Hence this appeal.
- ANTAMOK's claim as to the motive for the suspension and discharges lacks --------------------------------
substance and support in the evidence and the inferences to be drawn from it. ANTAMOK's Position:
From all what appears, ANTAMOK desires to discourage membership in the Commonwealth Law No. 103, as amended by Acts Nos. 254 and 355, is
union and to rout it if possible. The wholesale discharges were the expression of unconstitutional
such desire. The acts in the mind are calculated to have two effects. They will (1) because it violates the principle of separation of powers;
not only immediately affect the discharged laborers but would also discourage (2) because by it the National Assembly abdicates its legislative power violating
other laborers from joining or remaining members of the union. the doctrine on delegation of powers;
- The allegation that it has always been policy to consider the laborer's (3) because the judicial powers conferred by the law on the CIR are arbitrary and
unreasonable and allow the deprivation of freedom and property without due subject to, and in accordance with, the provisions of this Act.
process of law; And
(4) because, supposing that the law is valid and constitutional in its entirety, the Article 4 provides that CIR shall take cognizance for purposes of prevention,
part of Article 20 which provides that the CIR "adopt its own procedural arbitration, decision and settlement, of any industrial or agricultural dispute
regulations" must be declared null and void because it infringes Article 13 of causing or likely to cause a strike or lockout, arising from differences as regards
Title VIII of the Constitution of the Philippines which obliges the CIR to observe wages, shares or compensation, hours of labor or conditions of tenancy or
the general rules of procedure applicable to the courts of justice. employment, between employers and employees or laborers and between
landlords and tenants or farm-laborers, provided that the number of employees,
It has been subjected to an arbitrary procedure different from that applied to laborers or tenants or farm-laborers involved exceeds thirty, and such industrial
other litigants in the Philippine courts, as such it has been denied due process or agricultural dispute is submitted to the Court by the Secretary of Labor, or by
and equal protection. any or both of the parties to the controversy and certified by the Secretary of
------------------------------------------ Labor as existing and proper to be dealt with by the Court for the sake of public
WON Commonwealth Law No. 103 is constitutional. interest.
Held: Yes
Commonwealth Law No. 103 which, provides for the protection of the worker by A20 requires that in the hearing, investigation and determination of any
creating a Court of Industrial Relations, has been promulgated by the National question or controversy and in exercising any duties and powers under this Act,
Assembly in virtue of the the State's policies contained in Article 5, Title II; the Court shall act according to justice and equity and substantial merits of the
Article 6, Title XIII; And Articles 1 and 2, Title VIII, of the Constitution: case, without regard to technicalities or legal forms and shall not be bound by
any technical rules of legal evidence but may inform its mind in such manner as
ART. 5. The State shall ensure the promotion of social justice in order to ensure the it may deem just and equitable.
welfare and economic stability of the entire people.
CL No. 103 confers on the CIR full facultative faculty to resolve and decide
ART. 6. The State shall protect all workers, especially women and minors, and shall agrarian and industrial disputes in the manner it believes to be fair and
regulate the relations between owners and tenants, and between labor and capital in equitable, dispensing with the technicalities and legal formulations. The faculty
industry and agriculture. The State may establish compulsory arbitration. thus granted is judicial rather than legislative , so it does not violate the
principle of separation of powers, prohibition on delegation of legislative
ART. 1. The Judicial Power will be invested in a Supreme Court and in other lower courts powers or equal protection before the law. As has been said in the Cincinnati
that are established by law. case, W. & Z. R. Co. v. Comm., Of Clinton County, 1852), 1 Ohio St., 88, cited in the
Rubi et al. "There is a real difference between delegating the power to dictate
ART. 2. The National Assembly shall have the power to define, prescribe and distribute laws, which necessarily presupposes discretion as to what they are to be, and
the jurisdiction of the various courts,. . . confer attribution or discretion to make them. The first can not be done in any
way, and the second can not be objected to. "
(1) No legislative delegation of power
Article 1 of CL103 provides that the IRT shall exercise jurisdiction to consider, (2) IN re (3) and (4)
investigate, decide, and settle any question, matter, controversy or dispute A simple reading of A20 shows that the law has not empowered the CIR to
arising between, and/or affecting, employers and employees or laborers, and investigate and resolve issues and disputes between workers and employers and
landlords and tenants or farmlaborers, and regulate the relations between them, tenants and owners in an arbitrary and capricious manner without being subject
to a specific rule of conduct. The article clearly stipulates that the rules of the Constitution, the President of the Philippines may be authorized by law, for a limited
procedure which it adopts, to which the court must conform, must be guided by period and subject to such restrictions as the National Assembly may prescribed, to
justice and equity, and prescribes that the criterion which is formed must be "promulgate rules and regulations to carry out a declared national policy."
based on the substantial merits of the case without regard to technicalities or
legal formulations. In conformity with the constitutional objective and cognizant of the historical fact that
industrial and agricultural disputes had given rise to disquietude, bloodshed and
That CL103 deprives one of liberty and property without due process of law, and revolution in our country, the National Assembly enacted Commonwealth Act No. 103,
that it conflicts with the precept of Article 13, Title VIII, of the Constitution are entitled "An Act to afford protection of labor by creating a Court of Industrial Relations
without ground because the CIR is not of the same category as the municipal empowered to fix minimum wages for laborers and maximum rental to be paid tenants,
courts, courts of justice and courts of first instance whose regulations are issued and to enforce compulsory arbitration between employers or landlords, and employees or
by the Supreme Court). tenants, respectively; and by prescribing penalties for the violation of the orders" and,
later, Commonwealth Act. No. 213, entitled, "An Act to define and regulate legitimate
J. Laurel in Ang Tibay Case labor organizations."
It should be observed at the outset that our Constitution was adopted in the midst of
surging unrest and dissatisfaction resulting from economic and social distress which was From what has been stated, it appears that the legislation which are now called
threatening the stability of governments the world over. Alive to the social and economic upon to construe was enacted in pursuance of what appears to be deliberate
forces at work, the farmers of our Constitution boldly met the problems and difficulties embodiment of a new social policy, founded on the conception of a society
which faced them and endeavored to crystallize, with more or less fidelity, the political, integrated not by independent individuals dealing at arms' length, but by
social; and economic proposition of their age, and this they did, with the consciousness interdependent members of a consolidated whole whose interests must be
that the political and philosophical aphorism of their generation will, in the language of a protected against mutual aggression and warfare among and between diverse
great jurist, "be doubted by the next and perhaps entirely discarded by the third." (Chief units which are impelled by countervailing and opposite individual and group
Justice Winslow in Gorgnis v. Falk Co., 147 Wis., 327; 133 N. W., 209.) Embodying the spirit interests, and this is particularly true in the relationship between labor and
of the present epoch, general provisions were inserted in the Constitution which are capital. xxx In the midst of changes that have taken place, it may likewise be
intended to bring about the needed social and economic equilibrium between component doubted if the pronouncement made by this court in the case of People vs.
elements of society through the application of what may be termed as the justitia Pomar (46 Phil., 440) — also relied upon by the petitioner in its printed
communis advocated by Grotius and Leibnits many years ago to be secured through the memorandum — still retains its virtually as a living principle. The policy of
counterbalancing of economic and social forces and opportunities which should be laissez faire has to some extent given way the assumption by the government of
regulated, if not controlled, by the State or placed, as it were, in custodia societatis. "The the right of intervention even in contractual relations affected with public
promotion of social justice to insure the well-being and economic security of all the interests.
people' was thus inserted as vital principle in our Constitution. (Sec. 5, Art. II,
Constitution.) And in order that this declaration of principle may not just be an empty Petition denied.
medley of words, the Constitution in various sections thereof has provided the means
towards its realization. For instance, section 6 of Articles XIII declares that the State
"shall afford protection to labor, especially to working women and minors, and shall
regulated the relations between landowner and tenant, and between labor and capital in
industry and in agriculture." The same section also states that "the State may provide for
compulsory arbitration." In extraordinary cases mentioned in section 16, Articles VI, of