Philippines: MWAP calls on two semicon companies to sign meaningful CBAs
“Don’t use the pandemic to shortchange the workers.” This was the statement of Julius Carandang, spokesperson of Metal Workers Alliance of the Philippines as the group called on two semiconductor companies, Nexperia and Fuji, to sign meaningful collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). “Now is not the time for companies to delay CBA negotiations or offer measly CBA packages. Workers are bravely facing health risks each time they work in the factory during this pandemic. Nexperia and Fuji management should recognize the sacrifice of their workers and speedily conclude an agreement with the union that will include just benefits and meaningful provisions,” Carandang said.
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Nexperia Semiconductors Inc. Workers Union and Lakas ng Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng Fuji Electric Philippines, both members of MWAP already had 12 to 15 rounds of negotiations with the management since early this year and the unions had reasonably adjusted their counter proposals to their respective managements, according to MWAP.
Union in Fuji Electric Philippines holds protest action. Their call, “CBA Tapusin! Wag Baratin!
According to MWAP, Nexperia management is only offering the union wage increase while remaining silent on other important items on the union’s proposal such as regularization of employees, additional health insurance benefits, pandemic leave among others. Fuji management’s counterproposal is less than 12% of the union’s wage increase proposal. The company is also insisting on a mandatory 12-hour / 4-day workweek to be included in the agreement.
“Although globally, we are experiencing an economic recession, electronic products are still highly in demand. The unions in both companies attest that production at this time is ramping. Nexperia for example is even producing some parts used for ventilators. Union in Fuji said that the current volume of production is even higher than normal. And both companies show they gained profitable margins last year. Clearly, there is no reason to shortchange the workers. The unions’ demands for significant wage increase, additional benefits and standard work hours are reasonable,” Julius added.
MWAP expressed strong support to both unions and enjoined other workers in the electronics sector to support the fight of Nexperia and Fuji for a meaningful CBA. “Only a small portion of workers in the electronics sector are unionized and a great majority remains contractual. Unions in Nexperia and Fuji are in the forefront of the fight to end contractual work, to attain living wage, and to push for workers’ safety. The fight of Nexperia and Fuji in clinching a meaningful CBA at this juncture is important and crucial in our overall goal of lifting the labour standards in the industry and asserting electronics workers’ right to unionize and collectively bargain. We enjoin our fellow electronics workers to rally behind Nexperia and Fuji in this fight,” Carandang said.#
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