DO MEMBERS OR EMPLOYEES OF COOPERATIVES HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORM OR JOIN LABOR UNIONS?

Date Published:
Members of a cooperative have no right to form or join labor organizations for purposes of collective bargaining for being themselves co-owners of the cooperative. This prohibition covers employees of the cooperative who are at the same time members thereof.

However, insofar as the cooperative’s employees who are not members or co-owners thereof are concerned, they are entitled to exercise their right to self-organization and collective bargaining as guaranteed in the Constitution and existing laws. It is the fact of ownership of the cooperative and not involvement in the management thereof which disqualifies a member from joining any labor organization within the cooperative. Thus, irrespective of the degree of their participation in the actual management of the cooperative, all members thereof cannot form, assist or join a labor organization for the purpose of collective bargaining.

But employee-members of a cooperative may withdraw as members of the cooperative for purposes of joining a labor union.