[WAC news alert] Workers to protest Peza's food blockade and violence
Workers' Assistance Center
October 1, 2006
Workers to protest Peza's food blockade and violence
An indignation rally will be held condemning and calling for the
Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) to immediately order a stop
to the food blockade, violent dispersal and blatant violation of rules
on strike against two labor unions in Rosario, Cavite on Monday,
October 2.
At 9am on Monday, union officers and members of affected labor unions
Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Chong Won (NMCW) and Kaisahan ng mga
Manggagawa sa Phils. Jeon, Inc. (KMPJ) and Solidarity of Cavite Workers
(SCW) will gather at the head office of PEZA along Roxas Boulevard,
Pasay City where the rally will be held.
It can be recalled that the two unions, both are legitimate labor
unions inside the Cavite Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) in Rosario,
Cavite, went on strike on September 25, 2006 due to refusal by their
management to negotiate for their collective bargaining agreement (CBA)
despite a lawful order from the Secretary of the Department of Labor
and Employment (DOLE).
Since the strike began, the Peza police instigated the assault at the
picket lines of workers on strike leaving scores of strikers injured,
two of whom suffered contusions and head injuries.
On September 25, Peza police and Jantro security guards assaulted and
violently dispersed the workers' picket line at Chong Won Fashion,
Inc. as they forcibly let the scab workers in. On September 27, at 9am
they once again assaulted the strikers injuring 22 workers. A dialogue
was held between union leaders, management and the Peza officials later
in the afternoon.
What has been agreed upon are; the strikers will have free access to
entry and out of the picket line, Peza police will not prevent entry of
food and other supplies, the Peza police dismantles the makeshift tents
they built at the factory's gate and to comply to the 50 meters
distance from the picket line. The agreement, due for signing on
September 28, was completely ignored.
At 8:30pm on September 27, another picket line of workers on strike at
Phils. Jeon Garments, Inc. was assaulted leaving 13 strikers injured,
two of whom suffered head injuries. The assault took place despite an
agreement between the strikers and Peza to hold a dialogue between
union leaders and the company owner on September 28.
Instead of resolving the labor conflict, the Chong Won management
issued a memorandum illegally terminating the workers on strike. The
Phils. Jeon management likewise issued warnings to their workers it
would consider the strikers absent without leave (AWOL). Acts of
terminating workers despite a legitimate strike is illegal.
Had the Peza police not broke into the peaceful strike and escorted
scab workers into Chong Won, the factory's operation would have been
continually paralyzed. The operation was almost 100 percent paralyzed
for three days since September 25. As of this writing, only 50 regular
workers and 300 scabs opted to continue on reporting for work.
The Peza policemen and Jantro security guards likewise resorted on
taking drastic actions to crack down the workers on strike and those
supportive of them.
On September 28, eight members of SCW were illegally arrested and
falsely charged with trespassing and inciting to sedition for being
supportive to the workers on strike. The Peza police arrested them for
facilitating storage of supply of food to strikers, which violates the
food blockade they are imposing at Chong Won Fashion, Inc. They
confiscated a sack of rice for the strikers.
The Peza police and Jantro guards likewise cancelled and confiscated
the strikers' zone passes and company IDs effectively denying them
entry inside the CEPZ. The list of names of strikers that supposedly
allowed entry access as agreed upon on September 27, was instead been
used as list of black listed and banned workers. Such actions denied
strikers into entering their picket line to the advantage of the Chong
Won management.
While the CEPZ officers, Peza police and the factory's management are
blatantly continuing on committing illegal acts and ignoring existing
rules on strike, the head office of Peza, in particular director
General Lilia de Lima, is ignoring calls to effectively intervene by
giving orders to her officials and Peza policemen to cease and decease
using violence and food blockade.
"De Lima's tacit approval of the illegal and arbitrary acts of
Peza's security personnel constitutes her hostile character towards
the rights of the strikers," said Marlene Gonzales, SCW chairperson.
The Peza's illegal acts against the workers on strike is strongly
condemned by international labor organizations abroad; such as the
International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) in the US, Maquila Solidarity
Network (MSN) in Canada and Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) in
Thailand. ILRF and MSN are critical of Wal-Mart and its suppliers over
violations of labor standards.
Both the MSN and ILRF launched appeals seeking support for workers on
strike. MSN's appeals is accessible at:
http://www.maquilasolidarity.org/alerts/Chong%20Won%20Phillipines-Sept%2027.htm
while ILRF is at: http://www.laborrights.org/. The SCW urged people
here and abroad to join the appeals to increase pressure on Peza,
Wal-Mart and the concerned government agencies.
The Chong Won Fashion Inc. supplies products for Wal-Mart in the US
while Phils. Jeon Garments, Inc. is producing products for Al-alseel,
O/X, DreamStation and CNI. The products are being exported to countries
like South Korea, Japan, Middle East and in US.