Church People Workers’ Solidarity stands in solidarity with the workers of Nutri-Asia in Marilao Bulacan as they are facing violations to their right to job security, just wages and humane working condition, right to unionize and to strike. Nutri Asia is a big company producing popular household brands such as Jufran and Mafran Ketchup, Datu Puti, Papa Ketchup, and Mang Tomas Lechon Sauce. The company is run by none other than the Chief Executive Officer of the multi national corporation Del Monte Philippines Incorporated, Mr. Joselito D. Campos.
We are saddened that today, June 14, 2018, armed policemen including members of the SWAT who are armed with water cannons and armalite rifles violently and brutally dispersed the peaceful collective actions of Nutri-Asia workers. According to the Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Nutri-Asia-Independent Union, since their strike began on June 2, 2018, police forces are regularly manning and entering their picketline and giving them order to disperse and terminate their picketline within 72 hours.
We believe that this is a clear violation of the right of the constitutional rights of our workers to unionize, to peaceful assembly and right to strike. Police forces are supposed to be 50 meters away from the picketline and should not interfere to issues such as labor disputes. The temporary restraining order of Nutri Asia against the legitimate collective action of workers for their rights only shows the blatant disregard of the company to the just demands of workers.
Our brothers and sisters in Nutri-Asia have offered their hardwork to the company for decades already and mainly contributed to the super profits of Nutri-Asia. Yet, they are not treated decently and with dignity and security. Out of 1200 workers, only 100 are considered regular employees and the rest are contractual under the scheme of labor cooperative—a form of contractualization. Sometime in March 2018, the Department of Labor and Employment issued the result of their labor inspection inside the Nutri Asia factory which states that Nutri-Asia is implementing labor only contracting which strengthened the demand of workers to be regular employees inside the company. Moreover, despite very low minimum wage rate in Bulacan amounting to just P380. Nutri-Asia paid them below the minimum wage alongside with illegal salary deductions for uniforms, personal protective equipment and health insurance. 13th month pay and the yearly 5 days service incentive leave are also not complied by Nutri-Asia.
To collectively assert what is right for the workers, Nutri Asia workers started to educate themselves about their rights and form their union, the Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Nutri-Asia Independent Union. However, upon learning the organizing efforts of workers, the company unjustly and illegally dismissed 5 union leaders then followed by 75 union members. To stop the evil tactics of the company, the workers’ union has no other option but to wage their right to strike and set up their picketline on June 2, 2018.
Thus, we join with the workers of Nutri-Asia in their calls to fight for regularization of more than 1100 contractual workers of Nutri Asia and to abolish contractualization in the company and all over the Philippines; to reinstate all illegally dismissed union leaders, members and workers without any form of retaliatory actions and to recognize the Nagkakaisang Manggagawa sa Nutri Asia as the representative of the workers in the collective bargaining agreement and to release without precondition all those illegally arrested and detained during the violent dispersal of picketline. Access to remedy should be given to all workers and to all victims of harassment and violence.
In this light, we appeal to all our church peoples’ and workers’ network to:
- Join the ecumenical prayer and solidarity mission tomorrow at 5am at the picketline of nutri-asia (urgent ito para matulungan ang workers na manatili ang kanilang picket line)
- Send statements of solidarity or support to Nutri-Asia workers including the support for those workers and sympathizers who were injured and or illegally arrested and detained.
- Visit the striking workers and their families and offer food, medicine and other basic needs for their struggle.
- Post, share or repost statements or calls denouncing the violent dispersal and supporting the demands of Nutri Asia workers in facebook and other social media
- Boycott Nutri- Asia products (Datu Puti, Mang Tomas Lechon Manok Sauce, Del Monte, Silver Swan, Hans, UFC Catsup)
For more details, please visit the facebook of cws or contact the secretariat at churchfortheworkers@gmail.com
