[APWSLMembers 660] call for support to striking garment workers of a Korean-owned company

[kmu id]

Dear friends at APWSL,

Warm greetings!

We would like to ask your support to the striking workers of Hanjin
Garments, a Korean-owned garment company in Southern Tagalog.  The workers
went on strike due to series of employment termination that started last
year.  Last January 14, 2008, another 200 contractual workers who have
rendered service to the company for more than 12 years were terminated.

Hanjin Garments employs more than 1000 contractual workers and is owned by
Korean nationals Jeong Kee Min and Mak Rae Min.  This is a picture of the
rampant practice of contractualization in the Philippines and at the same
time, the exploitative conditions in Korean companies.  Korean companies
have a notorious reputation when it comes to working conditions and terms of
employment especially those located in the industrial enclaves.  You may
remember the violent treatment of the Korean management to the strike and
just demands of workers of Chong Won, Phils-Jeon and Fashion Garments.

The Hanjin workers have successfully launched their strike yesterday.
 Reports said that there is heavy presence of military and police elements
who are out to disperse the peaceful activity of the workers.  As of last
night, the military instituted food blockade upon the orders of Hanjin
management aimed at crippling the workers' strike.

We are calling on all our friends and allies to disseminate widely this
information to your network.  We highly encourage sending protest letters to
Mr. Jeong Kee Min and Mak Rae Min and call on them to negotiate with the
striking workers.  The major demand of the workers are union recognition,
regularization of work and reinstatement of illegally terminated workers.

Below are two news releases from PAMANTIK-KMU which contains more
information about the strike for your reference.

An injury to one is an injury to all!  Long live international solidarity!

In solidarity,
Tess Dioquino
Secretary, KMU International Department
Southeast Asia Coordinator, APWSL

----------
Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan
(PAMANTIK-KMU)
Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog

NEWS
25 January 2008

Food blockade imposed against Hanjin workers

More than 50 war-clad elements of Cabuyao Philippine
National Police (PNP) and Laguna Industrial Park
Police Assistance Group (LIPPAG) refused entry of food
support to striking workers of Hanjin Garments
Incorporated since last night, January 24.

Cabuyao PNP Chief Col. Moises Pagaduan and LIPPAG Maj.
delos Santos ordered their respective police units to
dispel workers and supporters carrying food from
reaching the barricades at the company gates and
Gatchalian industrial subdivision entrance.

"Ang pagbabawal sa aming kumain ay tahasang paglabag
sa aming karapatang pantao! (To deprive us of food is
an outright violation of our human rights!),"
exclaimed Romina Ibarrola, spokesperson of Hanjin
workers.

"Nang tanungin namin sila kung bakit ipinagbabawal
nila ang pagpasok ng pagkain, walang pagpapalawig na
sinagot kami ni Pagaduan at delos Santos na, 'Utos ng
manager' (When we asked them (police) why they are
refusing food entry, Pagaduan and delos Santos simply
shrugged, 'It's an order from the manager')," recalled
Gomer Macale, union president of Aniban ng
Manggagawang Inaapi sa Hanjin Garments (AMIHAN).

Macale thanked the residents and workers who by all
means continuously support their cause.

"Walang namamatay sa gutom"

At 6AM today, union officers tried to negotiate with
Cabuyao Mayor Isidro "Jun" Hemedes to mediate and
order the lifting of food blockade on the strikers.

"Sa halip na pakinggan ang aming hinaing, sinabihan
niya kaming 'Hindi magugutom ang mga nasa loob.
Walang namamatay sa gutom'.  Hindi namin inaasahan ang
ganitong pangungusap mula sa isang upisyal ng gubyerno
(Instead of heeding our plight, he told us 'Those
inside [the industrial subdivision] will not go
hungry.  No one dies of hunger'.  Coming from a
government official, such a statement is uncalled
for.)," said Macale.

"However, we are not closing our doors with the mayor
and all other legal means to settle this issue.  We
hope the mayor is not waiting for someone to die in
serious cases such as ours," added Macale.

The union officers and management of Hanjin are
expected to hold a dialogue at the National
Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB-Region IVA) at
1PM today.

Call for support

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan
(PAMANTIK-KMU), the militant labor center in the
region, called for more support from other workers and
community members.

PAMANTIK chairman Romeo Legaspi urged, "The demands of
Hanjin workers are just and legitimate.  It's a must
that the Hanjin workers who are still blinded by the
management and pursuing production operations in the
company, and the wider public need to know the issue
so as to gather and mobilize continuous support."

"We are positive with all the possible and legal
avenues we can get and maximize," concluded Legaspi.

The Korean-owned Hanjin Garments Incorporated employs
more than 1,000 contractual workers, 70% of which are
women. The workers barricaded the gates of the company
and the industrial subdivision at dawn on January 24,
demanding the reinstatement of more than 200 illegally
terminated workers, regularization, and union
recognition. ###


Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang
Mayo Uno
(PAMANTIK-KMU)
Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog-May First
Movement


NEWS
24 January 2008

Garment workers in a Korean company stage strike

Contractual workers from Hanjin Garments Incorporated,
a Korean-owned company in Cabuyao, Laguna, launched
their strike at around 5:30 AM today, January 24,
demanding reinstatement of illegally terminated
workers, regularization, and union recognition.

After holding a mobile information team round the
roads of Cabuyao which started at 5:00 AM, Hanjin
workers established two barricade posts – one in front
of the company and one in front of the Gatchalian
Industrial Subdivision in Barangay Banay-banay,
Cabuyao, Laguna.

The strikers persuaded their co-workers reporting for
the 6 AM shift to join their cause.

Residents were not barred by the strikers from entry
to and from the subdivision.  Some residents even
participated and supported the cause of the Hanjin
workers.

By 5:45 AM, police in patrol car came into the scene
after receiving calls from the company guards.  The
police, guards, and a supervisor escorted less than
200 Hanjin workers to the company.

"We are confident after having organized popular
support from the workers.  Majority of Hanjin workers
are here with us.  This proves the validity and
legitimacy of our demands," said Gomer Macale,
president of union Aniban ng Manggagawang Inaapi sa
Hanjin Garments (AMIHAN).

At around 10:00 AM, Cabuyao police Col. Moises
Pagaduan initiated a negotiation with the strikers.
Also, elements of the Laguna Industrial Park Police
Assistance Group (LIPPAG) negotatiated with the
striking workers.

"Col. Pagaduan's negotiation is a one-sided imposition
to the workers.  He said that he will disperse us upon
the request of Jaime Gatchalian, owner of the
industrial subdivision.  Our union officers told him
that we will keep our ground until our demands are
met…  We are peaceful here.  Don't they dare and
instigate fights.  It would be best for these police
officers to follow the rule of law and oblige Hanjin
management to talk fairly with us," said Macale in
Filipino.

The police later on allowed the striking workers in
their activity.

Workers from other factories, mainly from Cabuyao
Workers' Alliance (CAWAL) also supported the Hanjin
strike.

The militant Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog
Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU), for its part, expressed
its support to the Hanjin workers' strike.

"We applaud the Hanjin workers' strike which took off
at dawn today.  Having launched the strike is our
initial victory.  Hanjin workers are now carrying the
red banner and representing the struggle of
contractual workers in the region," said Romeo
Legaspi, chairman of PAMANTIK-KMU.

"The strike is the powerful means by which particular
demands can be resolved.  In addition, may this strike
be an arena of political education and upliftment of
class consciousness not only to the Hanjin workers,
but to all contractual and regular workers as well,"
concluded Legaspi.

Hanjin Garments Incorporated which produces and
exports to US cocktail dresses, blazers, and pants
including branded Mossimo, is located at 74 Gatchalian
Subdivision, Barangay Banay-Banay, Cabuyao, Laguna.
The company employs more than 1000 contractual workers
and is owned by Korean nationals Jeong Kee Min and Mak
Rae Min.

Successive waves of termination of employment
contracts started in 2007.  The latest, on January 14,
2008, terminated 2oo contractual workers who rendered
service to the company for more than 12 years. ###

------------------

Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan-Kilusang
Mayo Uno
(PAMANTIK-KMU)
Solidarity of Workers in Southern Tagalog-May First
Movement

NEWS
23 January 2008

Makers of Mossimo terminated, prepare to strike

More than 200 contractual workers cried foul when
forced to sign end contract by Hanjin Garments
Incorporated, a Korean-owned exporting company in
Cabuyao, Laguna.  Hanjin produces and exports to
United States blazers, cocktail dresses, and pants,
including branded Mossimo teen pants and shorts.

The 200 workers received their respective notices for
end of contract on January 14.  Four days after, on
January 18, they filed a notice of strike to the
National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB-Region
IVA).

Korean nationals Jeong Kee Min and Mak Rae Min own
Hanjin Garments, employing more than 1,000 contractual
workers.

"They fired us for the mere suspicion and simple
reason that we are trying to form a union," said in
Filipino by Christopher Capistrano, vice-president of
independent union Aniban ng Manggagawang Inaapi sa
Hanjin Garments (AMIHAN) and one among those
terminated.

"Panahon na para ipaglaban namin ang aming karapatan
upang maging regular na manggagawa.  Mula nang
mag-operate ang Hanjin, labindalawang taon namin
tiniis ang pagiging kontraktwal.  Kung kaya, wala
kaming ibang nakikitang solusyon dito kundi ang
mag-unyon at ipaglaban ang aming makatwirang interes.
(It's high time that we fight for our rights to become
regular workers.  We bear the brunt of being
contractual workers for 12 years, since the company
operated.  It is in this situation that we see no
other solution but to unionize and fight for our
legitimate interests.)," explained Capistrano.

Macale reported that sewers who have been in service
to the company for five months to one year receive
only P160 daily wage, while one year and above receive
P260.

The DOLE-mandated daily wage for Cabuyao is P282.

"It still depends if you can get that daily P160 wage.
  If some sewers don't reach the prescribed production
quota or in cases of re-work items, they get to render
their overtime services to Hanjin for free," explained
Capistrano.

Aside from the demand of regularization, Hanjin
workers also complained of poor working conditions,
non-payment of leaves, and irregular SSS and Pag-Ibig
remittance.

"The company also deducts P10 during paydays.  We are
also forced to sign 2 payslips, one of which we are
not allowed to see the content," said Capistrano.

Meanwhile, the militant Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa
Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU) expressed solidarity
to the Hanjin workers.

"We have seen the worse of these Korean-owned
companies exploiting workers from Fashion House
Garments, Chong Won, Phils Joen, and now with Hanjin
Garments.  And yet, the government of Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo which promised employment generation
by the millions has done nothing for the cause of
these workers," said Romeo Legaspi, chairman of
PAMANTIK-KMU.

"What we see and experience is the massacre of regular
jobs by these foreign capitalists and the Arroyo
government.  Even the contractual employment has been
deprived us for the mere suspicion that we are forming
a union, as if unionism is a terrorist activity."

"The Hanjin workers' struggle represents the plight of
contractual workers.  The only way for regularization
is thru collective action, thru unionism.  And thru
this concerted actions, we prepare for strike which is
our main weapon in achieving our purpose of
regularization," concluded Legaspi.###
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