Section 17March 2, 1989, Sec./Art. 17

Article 242 of the same Code is amended to read as follows:

"Article 242. Rights of legitimate labor organizations. - A legitimate labor organization shall have the right:

"(a) To act as the representative of its members for the purpose of collective bargaining;

"(b) To be certified as the exclusive representative of all the employees in an appropriate collective bargaining unit for purposes of collective bargaining;

"(c) To be furnished by the employer, upon written request, with his annual audited financial statements, including the balance sheet and the profit and loss statement, within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of receipt of the request, after the union has been duly recognized by the employer or certified as the sole and exclusive bargaining representative of the employees in the bargaining unit, or within sixty (60) calendar days before, or during the collective bargaining negotiation.

"(d) To own property, real or personal, for the use and benefit of the labor organization and its members;

"(e) To sue and be sued in its registered name; and

"(f) To undertake all other activities designed to benefit the organization and its members, including cooperative, housing welfare and other projects not contrary to law.

"Notwithstanding any provision of a general or special law to the contrary, the income, and the properties of legitimate labor organizations, including grants, endowments, gifts, donations and contributions they may receive from fraternal and similar organizations, local or foreign, which are actually, directly and exclusively used for their lawful purposes, shall be free from taxes, duties and other assessments. The exemptions provided herein may be withdrawn only by a special law expressly repealing this provision."