The Asian Institute of Management will appeal the ruling of the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), which found the institution guilty of committing unfair labor practices in connection with its dealings with the AIM Faculty Association (AFA).
In a statement, AIM said it will raise three main points in appealing against the ruling of NLRC labor arbiter Marita Padolina, which it said was based mostly on mere allegations of AFA, the failure to consider the truth or credibility of the AFA allegations, and the failure to identify specific unfair labor practices committed.
AIM warned that the “arbitrariness” of the NLRC ruling would have adverse effects on the Philippines’ business industry.
“Absent factual and legal basis, the arbitrariness of the decision sends a chilling message to international institutions and businesses seeking to do business in the Philippines,” AIM said.
Professor Emmanuel Leyco, president of the AFA, shrugged off AIM’s plan to appeal the ruling. He said it will only cause the case to drag on and pull down AIM’s credibility as an institute of learning for leaders on good corporate governance and administration.
“The AIM management totally missed the point. AFA went to court to defend the right of faculty to self-organization,” Leyco said. “Three labor arbiters, in three different cases, have all rebuffed AIM management for not respecting this right.”
In a ruling issued last June 5, Padolina found AIM guilty of committing unfair labor practices for harassing officers and members of the faculty union.
The NLRC earlier found the one-year suspension meted on
AFA chairman Dr. Victor Limlingan and Leyco due to alleged “dysfunctional behavior,” and “willful breach of trust and confidence.”
The suspension came after lawyers of AFA raised the issue before AIM’s board of trustees and board of governors about the institute’s failure to give their workers their rightful share of tuition increases it imposed over more than two decades. – Rainier Allan Ronda