Labor groups hold Global Day of Action vs Lululemon brand

A Global Day of Action was held at the Boy Scout Circle I Quezon City this morning to apply more pressure against a global brand Lululemon, an activewear, loungewear and footwear products manufactured in the Philippines by Metrowear, a manufacturing firm inside the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) in Cebu.

 

Metrowear is embroiled in a prolonged dispute with workers who it prevented from organizing a union and then refused to recognize and negotiate CBA with the latter when they succeeded to unionize. 

 

Unions and solidarity groups joined hands in denouncing the anti-union policies of Metrowear and the Lululemon brand. As an expression of international worker solidarity, the action in Quezon City was joined by activists in garment producing countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and also from Taiwan where Metrowear's owner is based.

 

The internationally coordinated action is joined by unions and labor organizations from around the world, including the Asia Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), Workers United, Solidarity International (SI), Australian People for Health, Education and Democracy Abroad (APHEDA), and the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC).

 

In Canada, labor groups such as the Canadian Labor Organization have also joined the movement by organizing protest actions at Lululemon retail outlets, highlighting the company's alleged labor rights violations.

 

Protests was also held yesterday at the gates of MEPZ 1, led by local solidarity groups including the Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO Cebu), Partido Manggagawa (PM), and the Organization of Metrowear Employees for Emporwoerment ang Genuine Advoaciy – Pinag Isang Tinig at Lakas ng Anak Pawis -OMEGA–PIGLAS Union, who stand in firm support of the MetroWear workers and their fight for union recognition and workplace justice.

 

Student organizations have also lent their voices to the cause. Groups like Students for International Labor Solidarity (SILS) called on their educational institutions to review and reconsider their partnerships with Lululemon and to impose sanctions in response to the reported labor abuses in the Philippines.

 

Photos can be accessed at the FB pages of Partido Manggagawa (https://www.facebook.com/partidomanggagawa) and Listen Up Lululemon (https://www.facebook.com/ListenUpLululemon).