[WAC news alert] Workers of another Korean-owned factory vote to go on strike

[Workers' Assistance Center]

A press release by the Workers' Assistance Center (WAC)

2 September 2006

Workers of another Korean-owned factory vote to go on strike

Union members of another Korean-owned garment factory voted to go on
strike after their company's continued refusal to begin negotiation
for their rights and welfare.

Of the 204 who voted at polling booths set-up in front of the
factory's gate, 177 voted to proceed with the strike. The voting was
held on Friday, September 1.

The decision to go on strike gave a strong message that the workers,
all members of the Kaisahan ng Mga Manggagawa sa Phils. Jeon, Inc.
(KMPJI-IND), could not wait any longer for the management to further
delay their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Not even the
management's dirty tactics of fielding non-union members to vote
against the strike dampen their bursting desire to go on strike.

The Korean-owned garment factory, Phils. Jeon Inc., has since been
refusing to begin negotiation with the workers for their CBA. Despite a
final and executory decision by the Department of Labor and Employment
(DoLE) on 22 July 2005 declaring the worker's union as "sole and
exclusive bargaining agent", the management has continued on
challenging the authority of their union to negotiate with them by
making appeals.

"Karapatan nilang mag-strike. Ito lang paraan para pilitin ang
management na simulan na ang negosasyon sa CBA (It is their right to go
on strike. This is the only options to pressure the management to begin
negotiation)," said one of the workers' leaders.

Filing of a number of petitions to appeal for the decisions by the DoLE
and even the Court of Appeals (CA) decisions in February 2006 upholding
the union's legitimacy has since been a delaying tactic by the
management of refusing to begin negotiation.

Prior to the election, the management is reported to have even
campaigned to workers to register a "NO" vote to oppose the strike.
They fielded non-union members to vote at polling booths purposely to
vote against the planned strike.

The factory is producing apparel and undergarments products for Al
Aseel and Zico in Saudi Arabia, CNI in the US and Dream Station in
Japan.

Union members of Phils. Jeon Inc. are the latest to go on strike
against Korean-owned factories inside the Cavite Export Processing Zone
(CEPZ).

Earlier, union members of Chong Won Fashion Inc., voted to go on strike
due to their management's continued refusal too to begin negotiation
for CBA.

On August 31, some of the union members on protest were injured when
the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) police and Jantro
Security guards forcibly dismantled their makeshift tents and
confiscated their streamers. The police and guards actions took place
despite a "notice of strike" the workers had with their company.