Section 15March 2, 1989, Sec./Art. 15

Articles 230, 231 and 232 of the same Code are amended to read as follows:

Article 230. Appointment of bureau personnel. - The Secretary of Labor and Employment may appoint, in addition to the present personnel of the Bureau and the Industrial Relations Divisions, such number of examiners and other assistants as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this Code."

"Article 231. Registry of unions and file of collective agreements. - The Bureau shall keep a registry of legitimate labor organizations.

"The Bureau shall also maintain a file of all collective bargaining agreements and other related agreements and records of settlement of labor disputes, and copies of orders and decisions of voluntary arbitrators or panel of voluntary arbitrators. The file shall be open and accessible to interested parties under conditions prescribed by the Secretary of Labor and Employment, provided that no specific information submitted in confidence shall be disclosed unless authorized by the Secretary, or when it is at issue in any judicial litigation or when public interest or national security so requires.

Within thirty (30) days from the execution of a collective bargaining agreement, the parties shall submit copies of the same directly to the Bureau or the Regional Offices of the Department of Labor and Employment for registration accompanied with verified proofs of its posting in two conspicuous places in the place of work and ratification by the majority of all the workers in the bargaining unit. The Bureau or Regional Offices shall act upon the application for registration of such collective bargaining agreement within five (5) calendar days from receipt thereof. The Regional Offices shall furnish the Bureau with a copy of the collective bargaining agreement within five (5) days from its submission.

The Bureau or Regional Office shall assess the employer for every collective bargaining agreement a registration fee of not less than one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) or in any other amount as may be deemed appropriate and necessary by the Secretary of Labor and Employment for the effective and efficient administration of the voluntary arbitration program. Any amount collected under this provision shall accrue to the Special Voluntary Arbitration Fund.

The Bureau shall also maintain a file, and shall undertake or assist in the publication, of all final decisions, orders and awards of the Secretary of Labor and Employment, Regional Directors and the Commission."

Article 232. Prohibition on certification. - The Bureau shall not entertain any petition for certification election or any other action which may disturb the administration of duly registered existing collective bargaining agreements affecting the parties except under Articles 253, 253-A and 256 of this Code.