Evil Korean-owned company
It’s ironic that yesterday I wrote about a Koreanovella about how an idealistic Korean youth does his best, as a lawyer, to defend the rights of migrant workers in Korea, and today I’m writing about how a Korean company is exploiting its Filipino workers here in the Philippines.
Last September 25, 2006, the
workers of Chong Won Fashion Inc. (CWFI), a Wal-Mart company located in the
Cavite Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) launched their strike because of the
company’s continued refusal to negotiate for a collective bargaining agreement. Union leaders went to the office this afternoon and sought assistance. They want the committe on labor to hold an inquiry into the situation they are facing.
The union Nagkakaisang
Manggagawa sa Chong Won (NMCW or United Workers in Chong Won) already won in the certification election in 2004, but the management protested it. The DoLE, the National
Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) and the Court of Appeals (CA) have already issued separate decisions affirming the union’s legitimacy, but the company still refuses to recognize the union.
Chong
Won supplies products for Wal-Mart, the biggest retail store in the US .Its buyers
include GAP, American Eagle Outfitters,
and Target (Cherokee amd Mossimo). Among its products are shirts, ladies blouses, polo shirts, pants, sleep wear
and other apparel for the aforementioned foreign companies. It’s 100% Korean-owned which started
operation in CEPZ in 1990. Chong Won is a subsidiary of Chong Won Co. Ltd based
in South Korea.
On September 27 at 8:30 am,
the combined forces of company security guards, Philippine Economic Zone
Authority (PEZA) police attacked the picketline, injuring 13 strikers. The
Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) and the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) have documented the
various physical injuries sustained by the strikers such as bloodied heads and
bruised arms and legs as a result of the blows inflicted by the attackers;
Most of the injured workers
were women. They sustained contusions, head injuries and bruises from police
beating. The strikers also reported that the attackers mashed the breasts of
some women workers to further humiliate them. They were also hit in the private
parts. Worker Myrna Elizarde collapsed
during the attack was rushed to the hospital.
Despite the violence that
erupted at the picketline, management
and the strikers agreed to hold a dialogue last September 28, but that
same day, eight workers from other
companies who were supporting the strike were arrested.
The arrested supporters Gemma
Lape, Lorna Reli, Ivy Villasan, Analou Estrimos, Galysa Layesi, Josephine
Bahar, Pablito Sapata and Rodelito Amo were eventually turned over to the
Rosario Municipal Police Station (RMPS). The RMPS attempted to file charges
of inciting to sedition against the eight and detained them for six days;
On October 4, the eight were
brought to the Rosario Cavite Municipal Trial Court where they were arraigned and pleaded not
guilty to the charge. Judge Rita Quizon ordered the release of the eight
supporters without bail as there was no proof of sedition and the other
accusation was merely trespassing. The
judge, however, ordered that they appear for the first hearing of their case
scheduled on January 15, 2007.
The workers have also
garnered the support from the International Labor Rights Fund and Maquila
Solidarity Network. ILRF and MSN immediately contacted Wal-Mart as the primary
buyer at the factory. MSN clearly stated what the expectations of Wal-Mart were
which included meeting with the union leaders and the Worker’s Assistance Center.
According to ILRF and
MSN, Wal-Mart claims to audit every
single factory once a year where their private brands are being produced, but
it didn’t even bother to get the
results of a recent audit done by Intertek in February 2006 at Chong Won.
During this audit, workers reported concerns about the way that factory
management was violating freedom of association.
Besides clear violations of
freedom of association, workers have alleged being forced to work 24 hours
shifts and not allowed to drink water or
go to the bathroom. Even worse, the mother company, Wal-Mart, has done the opposite of what they agreed upon and
even threatened to pull orders out of the factory. Even the factory management
is threatening that they will close the factory and move else where. Workers
have reported working 24 hours shifts, being paid only P281 a day.
Although Wal-Mart carried out an audit of the factory last September 20, it reneged on its commitment to meet with the
Workers Assistance Center
as requested by MSN. The MSN has also
demanded that Wal-Mart pressure its
supplier to respect the rights of its Filipino workers and begin negotiations
for a CBA.
In the meantime, a day before
the audit, management personnel reportedly circulated and pressured workers to
sign a document condemning their union for protesting outside the factory.
But it’s not just the company that’s being completely evil here.
Instead of standing up for the Filipino workers, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)administration led
by Director-general Atty. Lilia De Lima and Industrial Relations Division chief
Atty. Mary Jane Arada have ordered the implementation of a food and water
blockade. They have also gave instructions to the PEZA police that are aimed towards crushing the strike and demoralizing the workers. The police have have confiscated the IDS
and zone passes of workers, saying that the strikers are already terminated
employees. They refuse entry to supporters bringing food and water. They also regularly patrol the picketline area verbally harassing and threatening the workers.
