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A Conversation with Workers by the Sea


[Notes from an unstructured discussion between workers in an export processing zone in Central Luzon and an official from a labor support group from the United States, sometime in May 2001.]

They came from all over.
As far as Negros down south and Isabela up north.  They came to Bataan, hoping to overcome poverty and
make their families happy.
Many are single young women.
Their lined faces say they have not completed what
they sought out to do yet.
They are terrified by the prospect of losing their jobs.  They say they have no choice; they will stay in the zone
"as long as job are available".
They are breadwinners and they need the money to
support their families.

They tell their stories differently, some haltingly, others
in straight English, still others in their dialect, at
times needing assistance to make their point.
Some had to be prodded to get over their shyness and
to speak.

Times were difficult even before September 11; they
worsened after September 11.
"Marami" ["Many"] companies have gone on 2-3 day
workweek.
Unions are not welcome; "pampagulo lang daw" 
[troublemakers] say management.
Employers terrorize workers by saying that, if buyers
find out there is a union in the company, they will
stop orders - the exact opposite  of what buyers'
corporate codes of conduct say.
In reality, those with unions are lucky: wages are
raised immediately above the minimum. In addition,
there are other benefits -- longer leaves, correct
overtime rates, etc.
Without a union, chances are workers will be paid at
most only the minimum wage of P204.50 in Bataan.

Tessie has been working in HHH producing Harley Davidson leather jackets for eight years, and now receives P235 a day. The union was organized in 1997; and bargained an increase in wages above the minimum. Orders are slow and leather materials have not arrived from Europe; Tessie and her co-workers are on forced leave.

Glenda, came from Olongapo, sewer and a union officer at NNN: They decided to put up the union because their wages were below minimum, leave was only at the statutory five days, and there were no other benefits. She was dismissed because of union membership, but regained her job when the union won recognition and fought for her reinstatement. The union increased wages (Glenda now receives P222.90), 5-5 days vacation/sick leave, plus other benefits. Because of "slow orders", Glenda and her workmates are currently on two days per week forced leave.

Three contractual workers (si Aida, si Lorna at si Fe) from giant LLL electronics company, 2500 workers, only 1500 regular, producing parts, have worked as contractual workers for ten months. The union filed a case before the NLRC to force the company to regularize the three and other contractual workers who do the same work as regular workers and who have completed the mandatory minimum months of service. Contractual workers receive P204.00 per day; the lowest-paid regular worker gets P23.00 higher, for the same work, enough for a kilo of rice.

Veronica, who used to work with ZZZ, has worked three years in TTT, which makes LL Bean bags for export to the US market. She was shocked to discover that her SSS premium contributions were not remitted by the company, barring her from SSS loans. She says there are workers in the company who have been paid below minimum, the apprenticeship rate of P153 per day, perpetually. [Under the law, the maximum apprenticeship period is six months.]

Marilou 35 years old working in XXX producing Jansport bags says regular and contractual workers are paid the same rate of P204 per day. Nakakagalit [She is angry]; after many weeks of 12 hours daily forced overtime, the company declared 1-1/2 months forced leave when it discovered a union was being organized. Union activists were harassed, the company threatening it will close if a union is organized. Marilou recalls there were two deaths (one 23 year-old male, one 25 year-old female) from overfatigue - one in 1999, another in 2000. Before the "slowdown", normal overtime was 6:30-11:00 p.m. on the five weekdays, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturdays.

Eileen, who worked with BBB then, now with EEE says the company maintains two time cards, one for the Gap auditor showing only two hours overtime per day. It was in the same company where a worker was forced to resign dahil nakita daw na nakipag-usap sa isang union organizer [for talking to a union organizer].

Sabi nila [The group says] there are "few" cases of sexual harassment, but knowingly looked at each other when the official from the national center explained what sexual harassment was.

They wish there could be more workers education programs ["kulang seminars"], to discuss workers rights and labor law, and to teach them more about unionism.  They wished there were more time for rest and recreation.  They don't even have time to do their clothes on weekdays.  Sunday is their "wash day".

The visitor expressed concern over workers rights all over the world, and reminded workers that the struggle for better working conditions in the US is linked to the struggle of workers in the Philippines and elsewhere.  He rued that there is problem of enforcement of labor law all over the world.  He said, in the US, laws on social security and unemployment insurance are good; that the law on forming unions is bad.

In the distance, children and adults frolicked in the sea. Oblivious to the workers telling their stories and their sympathetic visitors.