Claims for Damages in the Bureau of Labor Relations

Unlike the NLRC which is explicitly vested with the jurisdiction over claims for actual, moral, exemplary and other forms of damages, the BLR is not specifically empowered to adjudicate claims of such nature arising from intra-union or inter-union disputes. In fact, Art. 241 of the Labor Code ordains the separate institution before the regular courts of criminal and civil liabilities arising from violations of the rights and conditions of union membership. The Court has consistently held that where no employer-employee exists between the parties and no issue is involved which may be resolved by reference to the Labor Code, other labor statutes, or any collective bargaining agreement, it is the regional trial court that has jurisdiction. (Mariño vs. Gamilla, G.R. No. 132400, January 31. 2005)