An Act to Prohibit the Employment of Strike Breakers and the Transporting or Escorting by Peace Officers and/or Armed Persons or Persons Seeking to Replace Strikers in Entering and/or Leaving the Strike Area, and to Provide Penalties Thereof

REPUBLIC ACT No. 3600

An Act to Prohibit the Employment of Strike Breakers and the Transporting or Escorting by Peace Officers and/or Armed Persons or Persons Seeking to Replace Strikers in Entering and/or Leaving the Strike Area, and to Provide Penalties Thereof

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippine Congress Assembled:

Section 1. Hereafter, it shall be unlawful for any employer to employ any strike breaker, or for any person to be knowingly employed as a strike breaker.

"Strike breaker" shall mean any person knowingly employed for the purpose of obstructing or interfering by force or threats peaceful picketing by employees during any labor controversy affecting wages, hours or conditions of labor; or the exercise by employees of any of the rights of self-organization or collective bargaining.

Section 2. It shall be unlawful for any commanding officer of troops in the Armed Forces of the Philippines or individual soldier or any member thereof or any peace officer and/or armed person to bring in, introduced or escort in any manner any person who seeks to replace strikers, in entering and/or leaving the premises of a strike area or to work in place of the strikers.

"Strike area" shall mean the establishment of the employer struck against, as well as the immediate vicinity actually used in by picketing strikers in marching to and from before all points of entrance and exit to and from said establishment.

Nothing in this Act shall be interpreted to prevent any commanding officer of troops in the Armed Forces of the Philippines or any member thereof or any peace officer from taking any measure necessary to maintain peace and order and/or protect life and property.

Section 3. Any of the persons mentioned above violating the provisions of Section two hereof shall be deemed guilty of a felony and shall upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than five thousand pesos or imprisoned for not more than two years, or both, at the discretion of the court.

If the violation is committed by a firm, association or corporation, the manager, or in his default, the persons acting as such, shall be liable.

Section 4. In case the strike be judicially declared illegal, any criminal liability arising from violation of any of the provisions of this Act shall be deemed extinguished; Provided, That during the pendency of the legality or illegality of the strike prosecution for violation of any provision shall be deemed suspended or held in abeyance.

Section 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: June 22, 1963.