Bu-lat-lat (boo-lat-lat) verb: to search, probe, investigate, inquire; to unearth facts Volume 3, Number 28 August 17 - 23, 2003 Quezon City, Philippines |
All’s
Not Well with Danding’s Workers The
demolition of workers rights in San Miguel Corporation is as systematic as its
production process. This began in
the mid-1980s, when SMC under the leadership of chair Eduardo “Danding”
Cojuanco, designed a long-range plan to streamline its workforce. BY
DABET CASTAŃEDA Restive workers from different San Miguel subsidiaries hold protest at the foot of of Mendiola Bridge Photo courtesy of Ang Manggagawa Using
the Japanese management system isekawa, SMC tried to condition the minds
of its workers through quality consciousness seminars that only boasted of the
magnificent quality of SMC products but considered grievances, salaries and
wages as non-negotiable. In
1987, the perfect attendance scheme was introduced in SMC as an incentive to its
workers. Promptness is the key as
employees with no absence or record of tardiness collect points and win awards.
Home appliances are the usual while the grand price includes a trip to Baguio
with their spouses. With
the workers’ measly pay and the high cost of living, it was a perfect scheme
to win the hearts and minds of SMC workers and their families.
But apart from the obvious, this ploy is used to keep the workers busy
with work and away from union activities. In
1989, SMC had 39,000 workers. After a decade, this number drastically went down
to 15,000. This was the result of regular workers’ dismissal, merging of job
items and other schemes to undermine the workers’ unity and increase SMC’s
profits. From 10,000 union members
in 1990, they are now only 4,000 spread in 22 local unions.
A
taste of the iron hands Twenty-three
years as a regular and senior employee of SMC, William Merene took the odds and
stood for what was correct – in the early 1980s, he joined the Ilaw at Buklod
ng Manggagawa (IBM), the workers union of SMC.
Ka Mere to colleagues and comrades, he now serves as the president of IBM
which became affiliated with the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in 1987.
IBM-KMU
is the alliance of unions in SMC subsidiaries, among them Cosmos Bottling
Corporation, La Tondeńa Distilleries Inc., Campo Carne, Magnolia, Coca Cola,
and Monterey Foods. It
was in August of the same year when IBM-KMU joined a welga ng bayan and
won a nationwide P10 increase across the board.
Union members at this time got the taste of the company’s iron hands as
those who joined the nationwide strike faced a preventive suspension case
before the SMC administration. While
the case was being heard, they were grounded from entering the production area.
And because the company holds a “no work, no pay” policy, union members paid
dearly for fighting for their rights. But
as Ka Mere would remember, “we didn’t take that sitting down.”
IBM-KMU called for a one-day strike in November that resulted in the
suspension of the administrative investigation. “We thought it was the only way to gain back our work and
we did. Everything was back to normal,” says Ka Mere.
Sabotage! But
what is normal? Only in Jan. 2003,
after the Cojuanco-led SMC acquired Cosmos Bottling Corporation, 117 out of 190
regular workers lost their jobs in a Cosmos Plant in Canlubang, Laguna.
On
Jan. 3, workers were told that the company would be upgrading the production
process of the bottling plant. Insisting
on their right to know, the workers wanted everything clear as their jobs were
on the line. When will the
upgrading start and when will it be done? After the upgrading process, will we get our positions back?
“All that management could say was that they would be undergoing an
evaluation. Why should they undergo such when they’ve been there for years?”
asks Ka Mere. But
on Jan. 4, while discussions were at hand, the management terminated the
contracts of casual workers. However,
it takes the entire number of the regular and casual workers to man the whole
production and as a result, the process was affected. The
workers’ union asked for another dialogue but this time, the management
declined. This resulted in the stoppage of production and a case against the
workers: sabotage! Ridiculous
as it was, the workers were the ones blamed and accused of sabotaging the
company. Management then
arbitrarily replaced the 117 regular workers with newly-hired contractual
workers. Devious
maneuvers In
its negotiations with the Monterey union which started last year, the management
presented a P95 counter proposal to the workers’ demand of P115. The union
accepted the offer but in the next meeting, the management offer changed to P85.
The union naturally refused to sign the agreement since the union members voted
to agree to P95. In the next round, after the workers decided to accept the new
offer, the union noticed the absence of the previously agreed non-retaliatory
clause in the memorandum of agreement. Throughout
the negotiation, the management showed extreme deviousness and proved
insincerity in the negotiations, workers said. The
same sly maneuvers were exhibited in the case of La Tondeńa, where management
reportedly designated new union officers while CBA negotiations were ongoing.
The union protested and filed a notice of strike. The department of labor then
assumed jurisdiction over the case but even while the case was ongoing, the
management filed cases against 60 union leaders. “They
want us out” IBM
leaders say the main thrust of the Cojuanco-led SMC is to throw them out of the
bargaining table. The attack is
systematic, sometimes ridiculous but, most of the time, also traumatic to
factory workers. But
why does the SMC management seem to be intensifying its campaign against IBM-KMU?
“If they destroy us now, it is perfect timing for the next collective
bargaining agreement which is set next year,” replied Ka Mere. He
added that aside from strengthening their influence among union members and
non-members (such as casual and contractual workers) nationwide, IBM-led unions
in Metro Manila have historically set a standard in corporate-wide wage
increases which mean big cuts in the company’s profits.
Workers
at war? Indeed,
SMC seems to be preparing for the big negotiation next year with its Greater
Manila Area workers. It appears to
be attempting this early to strangle its opponent. Starting
last April for example, the management has refused to turn over the workers’
union dues to IBM. According to
union officials, the company’s concerted efforts against IBM alone make it
difficult to sustain union activities and defend it from company maneuvers
undermining the workers’ unity. It is however doubly difficult to function
without funds. The
management has reportedly made it appear that some workers were asking for a
refund of some fees given to IBM. The Department of Labor and Employment has
ordered IBM to return some P5,500 to each of the claimants, which IBM has
already done. The
money is not the most important issue, say union officers.
IBM charged that SMC management is seeking to divide the workers by
creating a conflict between the union and some of the workers. War
against terror The
union leaders are also connecting their plight with the U.S. war on terror. “The
present vicious attacks against IBM-KMU is SMC’s collaborative effort to
fulfill the whims of US President George W. Bush when he declared war against
terror after the 9-11 attack,” says Ka Mere.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has several times declared her all-out
support to Bush, including when she announced, “we will also go after those
workers who are terrorizing the factories.”
“Those
statements could not be referring to anyone but us (militant workers).
They couldn’t possibly be directed against TUCP (Trade Union of the
Philippines), which adheres to yellow unionism,” Ke Mere said. “There
is clear connivance between the imperialist power, the Philippine puppet
government, and big business, which include Danding Cojuanco as chairperson and
chief executive officer of SMC,” adds Ka Mere. Not
over But according to IBM, the fight is not over. “With the workers’ continued strength and support, we see a good chance at the negotiating table next year. We are ready for them and we will assert our rights as we have done in the past,” Ka Mere says in parting. Bulatlat.com |
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