Labor Law and Social Legislation › Labor Adjudication › Labor Agencies › Dole
e. Bureau of Labor Relations
Jurisdiction of BLR
- Inter-union and intra-union conflicts
- All disputes, grievances or problems arising from or affecting labor-management relations in all workplaces EXCEPT those arising from the implementation or interpretation of the CBA which shall be the subject of grievance procedure and/or voluntary arbitration
| Original | Appellate |
| Cases involving Federations and National Unions | Cases involving independent unions and local chapters Note: these cases fall within the original jurisdiction of the Regional Office (Labor Relations Division) |
| Mode of review | |
| Original jurisdiction | Appellate jurisdiction |
| Appeal to DOLE Secretary | A BLR decision appealable to the DOLE Secretary must first undergo that appeal. After exhaustion of available administrative remedies, subject to recognized exceptions, judicial review may be sought in the CA by petition for certiorari under Rule 65. Execution follows entry of final judgment. |
| Within 10 days to the DOLE Secretary Grounds: Grave abuse of discretion Gross incompetence |
Compromise Agreements
If voluntarily agreed upon by the parties with the assistance of the BLR or the regional office of DOLE are final and binding upon the parties.
The only time NLRC or any courts can assume jurisdiction over issues involved therein:
- In case of non-compliance thereof
- If there is prima facie evidence that the settlement was obtained through fraud, misrepresentation or coercion
As long as the agreement is voluntarily entered into and has a reasonable award, it is valid.
For a case pending before the LA, the compromise must be submitted to the LA for approval under the NLRC Rules.
For a case pending before the DOLE Secretary, the compromise must be submitted to the Secretary for approval.
For a case pending on appeal before the NLRC, the compromise must be submitted to the NLRC for approval.
An offer to settle is not proof that something is due to the employee.
Art. 233 of the Labor Code states that any compromise settlement, including those involving labor standard laws, voluntarily agreed upon by the parties with the assistance of the Bureau or the Regional Office of the Department of Labor shall be final and binding upon the parties.
Note: The assistance of the BLR or the regional office of the DOLE in the execution of a compromise settlement is a basic requirement. Without it, the settlement cannot claim the final-and-binding effect of Art. 233 [227] on that basis; a compromise made through another authorized process is governed by its applicable rules. Mere appearance before BLR or the regional office of the DOLE to file the already executed compromise settlement is not the “assistance” required by the law. (Mindoro Lumber and Hardware v. Eduardo D. Bacay, et. al., G.R. No. 158753, 2005)