Workers at a Kohl’s supplier in the
biggest export zone in the Philippines are complaining of management
interference in the exercise of their freedom of association. The newly formed workers
union at Daegyoung Apparel Inc. is calling on Kohl’s to remediate the
violations of their supplier in line with their code of conduct.
The workers of Daegyoung formed a union in
April with the aim of resolving workplace grievances such as low pay, lack of
benefits, precarious work and violation of labor standards. As soon as
management learned of the formation of the union, supervisors and line leaders
started talking to workers to withdraw support from the union or desist from
enlisting with the union.
Workers were threatened that the company
will shutdown if the union pushes through. At the start, management personnel
blatantly asked workers to sign anti-union statements at the production lines. Management
personnel also openly held a town hall meeting in the factory canteen and
repeated the threat of a factory closure. Later, workers were asked to go in
pairs to management offices where they were subjected to anti-union propaganda.
In response to management’s union
busting maneuvers, the union filed for preventive mediation with the Labor
Department. Nothing was resolved in the first hearing. Another hearing is set
this week.
The union has also filed a petition for
certification elections and in the proceedings, management submitted it
opposition and offered separation pay to workers—moves which evidently tie in with
the company’s union busting scheme.
Korean-owned Daegyoung employs some
1,000 workers, mostly women. Workers estimate that around 80% of the production
is earmarked for Kohl’s. The factory is located in the Cavite Economic Zone in the industrial town of Rosario, Cavite.
