Photos courtesy of Philippine
Solidarity and Friendship Group (PSFG) in Austria
Picket at the
Vienna Office
Press Statement
Vienna, 20 June
The newly organized Philippine Solidarity and Friendship Group (PSFG) in
Austria successfully held a picket in solidarity with the Nestle workers,
Philippines. More than 30 activists joined the 2-hour picket infront the
office of Nestle, Margarethengurtel/Emil-KralikG, last Thursday, 18 June
2009, 5-7pm. Please see
During the picket, a program was held and a statement distributed
appealing for:
Nestle Management to return to the negotiating table and resume CBA
negotiation with the Union, especially on the issue of retirement
benefits, and
United Nations Commission on HR to send representative(s) to the
Philippines and/or ask the Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines
to conduct a thorough investigation of the human rights violations i.e.,
killing of Diosdado "Fort" Fortuna, and other related human rights issues.
The statement circulated during the picket noted that “Nestle Philippines
since 1991 continuously refusing to bargain with Union of Filipro
Employess/Drug, Food & Allied Workers Federation/ Kilusang Mayo Uno
(UFE/DFA/KMU) on Retirement Plan issue alleging that this is their own
(Nestle) prerogatives. However in its decisions, the NLRC (1991),the Court
of Appeals and the Supreme Court (August 2006) consistently and firmly
resolved and now (March 2009) with finality ordering Nestle to negotiate
with the Union on the said issue.”
The statement said that “the workers and their union launched on January
14, 2002 an arduous strike that has lasted up to the present because the
Nestle Management continues to disregard the above rulings and directives
and relevant international agreements.“ (Petition-Appeal for Justice "Do
not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits" Exodus 23:6 )
Furthermore, “Nestlé uses all state instruments such as the Department of
Labor and Employment (DoLE), the MTC-Cabuyao (Municipal Trial Court) and
RTC-Binan (Regional Trial Court), the Philippine National Police (PNP),
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Intelligence Service of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), with the blessings of a
Philippine president who continuously clings to power .... This repression
has directly and indirectly resulted in 23 strike-related deaths,
including union leader Diosdado “Ka Fort” Fortuna, who was assassinated on
his way home from a picket line on September 22, 2005. To date, not a
single perpetrator has been apprehended for these murders.“ (Nestlé
abusing workers’ rights in the Philippines - and ignoring Supreme Court
rulings, February 2009).
The Solidarity Group is further advancing its campaign thru petition
appeal for justice for the struggling 600 Nestle workers in Cabuyao,
Laguna, Philippines. The appeal can be signed in
http://pinas-first.com/phpPETITION/index.php
###
For Reference:
Philippinen-Komitee, c/o Amerlinghaus, Stiftgasse 8, A 1070 Wien
c/o Manuel Sarmiento
Tel #+43 699 122 778 35
Photos courtesy of Auckland
Philippines Solidarity (APS)
Protest action at the
Nestle Head office, New Zealand
PRESS RELEASE
6 March 2009
THERE’S BLOOD IN YOUR COFFEE: New Zealanders Demand Justice
for Nestlé Philippines Workers, Dismissal of False Charges against Union
Lawyer
A New Zealand-based group of trade union and human rights advocates will
hold a protest action today 6th March, 2pm at the Nestle Head office
Nestlé Head Office, 1 Broadway, Newmarket to make New Zealanders aware of
Filipino workers’ cry “There's Blood in Your Coffee, Nestlé Kills
Workers."
Luke Coxon, Spokesperson of Auckland Philippines Solidarity (APS),
explains, “Nestlé workers in the Philippines under the United Filipino
Employees-Drug Food and Allied Industries -Kilusang Mayo Uno (UFE-DFA-KMU)
have been on strike since January 14, 2002 for their right to retirement
benefits. To this day, Nestlé refuses to include the workers’ retirement
benefits in the collective bargaining negotiation despite a Supreme Court
ruling ordering them to negotiate. The strike has both directly and
indirectly resulted in the deaths of 23 union members, including union
president Diosdado Fortuna, who was assassinated on his way home from the
picket line on September 22, 2005, his predecessor Meliton Roxas was also
murdered and the current leadership continue to live in fear of their
lives.”
“We salute the perseverance of Nestlé workers and we support their demands
for justice. Even though their struggle has been long and difficult, their
determination in fighting for what is right and just, is an inspiration to
workers in New Zealand and everywhere. Today we also support protests in
the Philippines demanding dismissal of another false murder charge against
Nestlé union lawyer Remigio Saladero and others,” APS stated.
Three months ago Nestlé union lawyer Saladero was unjustly imprisoned on
fabricated charges of multiple murder and attempted murder. He and other
activists are facing a new trumped-up murder charge barely a week after
the court ordered their release on 6th February 2009.
Nestlé was cited in Human Rights Day 2008 as the “Worst Company for Union
Organizing” by the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) which noted its
gross violations of workers’ rights in the Philippines, Colombia, Peru,
Russia and Pakistan. Despite the 1991 and 2006 rulings of the Supreme
Court of the Philippines ordering management to include the retirement
benefits in collective bargaining agreement, Nestlé deliberately ignored
the court's orders.
Today marks one year of the brutal dispersal of Nestlé workers by elements
of the Manila Police District (MPD) in front of the Department of Labor
and Employment (DoLE) main office in Intramuros, Manila. Nestlé workers
and supporters in the Philippines are going to have a protest action in
front of Nestlé Cabuyao Plant to condemn business giant, brutal police,
inutile labor department and all agencies of the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
regime that denied justice to hundreds of Nestlé workers and their
families. To date, not a single perpetrator has been apprehended for the
assassinations, in spite of strong indications that they were the
handiwork of the police, military or their agents. #
Reference:
Luke Coxon
Spokesperson, Auckland Philippines Solidarity (APS)
email: philippinessolidarity@gmail.com
