Renewed protest to condemn Peza and Dole's arbitrary acts

Workers on strike in two Korean-owned companies in Cavite will renew
their protest actions on Monday morning, March 26, to once again
strongly condemn the inaction and tolerance by both the Philippine
Economic Zone Authority (Peza) and the Department of Labor and
Employment (Dole) to the continuing atrocities and gross violation of
labor rights committed against them.

Not only the workers were frequently violently attacked, starved,
illegally terminated by their employer since they began their strike
on September 2006, the regional labor department likewise in February
5 and 6 cancelled the union registration of both Kaisahan ng mga
Manggagawa sa Phils. Jeon, Inc. (KMPJI) and Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa
Chong Won (NMCW) respectively.

The decision by Dole IV regional director Ricardo Martinez Sr.
granting petition to cancel the registration is being questioned by
the two unions by filing separate petitions for review now pending
before the Dole's Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) office. The BLR,
however, has yet to resolve the said petition.

The union leaders and workers on strike have argued that those who
filed petitions to cancel their registrations are either none union
members, occupying supervisory positions, and are strongly believed
being used by the management in an effort to bust the legitimate
unions, and to discourage and legally persecute them from lawfully
asserting their labor rights.

After the workers went on strike, the Phils. Jeon management had begun
harassing and intimidating workers by threatening to terminate them
from work should they fail to return to work. Those who have decided
to return to work and even those who do not even joined the strike and
none union members are reported being used by the management to file
petition for cancellation-by which the labor department have granted.

On the other hand, the labor department also resolved to cancel the
registration of the union registration of Chong Won Fashion workers by
claiming that it no longer represents the majority of the union after
they were terminated from work. This, however, was grossly
questionable because the workers on strike should have not been
terminated in the first place when strike is on. It is illegal under
labor laws.

The Chong Won management likewise pushed for the creation of a
'Caretaker Committee", which is composed mostly of non rank-and-file
employees and non union members. This management-inspired Committee is
the ones who filed petitions for cancellation, without even consulting
and informing the legitimate union members, of their actions.

Florencia Arevalo, NMCW union secretary, strongly condemn and
questioned the illegal acts and legal persecution taken against them
by the management, which were subsequently tolerated by the regional
labor department by issuing unfavorable and questionable resolutions.
At the same time, the labor department's resolution is now being used
by the Peza authorities, in particular the Peza police and Jantro
guards, of taking violent actions and atrocities against the workers.

Out of fear as a result of the continued harassment and intimidation,
workers on strike had to struggle surviving at the picket line to
assert their right-which is the right to collectively bargain and
right to strike. For asserting this lawful rights, however, workers
are forced to sacrifice their job after being illegally dismissed,
starved for either lack or and prevention of entry of food supplies,
and often to face threats of continuing violent attacks and
dispersals.

Not only the two unions registration were cancelled, their leaders and
union members likewise were being subjected into legal persecution by
the Peza authorities-in particular the Peza police and Jantro guards.
After the violent dispersal in September 2006 and in January 2007,
union leaders and its members are arbitrarily charged for physical
injuries, grave threats, intimidation and libel. The criminal charges
filed against them, however, is intended to harass and intimidate
them.

This is a situation where while the workers on strike have yet to
obtain their right to collective bargain-which is the object of strike-
on the other hand they have to endure various legal persecution and
actions taken against them in a concerted effort by the local police,
the Peza and that the Dole is either tolerating such illegal acts or
not acting adequately to upheld the worker's lawful rights.

Joining the protest are the workers on strike and supporters from the
Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW), an alliance of labor organization
in Cavite.

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* The Workers' Assistance Center, Inc. (WAC) is a non-government
organisation based in Rosario, Cavite, Philippines providing
assistance to workers, labor unions and organisations. WAC is deeply
engage in organising labor workers inside the Cavite Export Processing
Zone (CEPZ) and other export processing zones in Luzon into labor
unions to assert their rights.

Office adress:
Workers' Assistance Center, Inc. (WAC)
Bahay Manggagawa, Indian Mango St., Manggahan Cpd.
Sapa I, Rosario,
Cavite 4106
PHILIPPINES
Tel No. +63 46 884 0076
Fax No. +63 46 438 4736

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To view our official website: http://www.wacphilippines.com/

To email WAC send to: wacrdp@gmail.com
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