Dear Friends
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On 23 June 2003 more than 300 security guards at the Nestle plant in Cabuyao, Laguna, the Philippines, together with 200 personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and hired assistants, attacked the Nestle workers who have been on strike since 14 January 2001.
Under the banner of the United Filipro Employees (UFE), the Nestl?union staged the strike to push the Nestle management to include retirement benefits in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Since then, the National Labour Reconciliation Commission, the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal have decided favorably for the workers and ordered the Nestle management to get back to the negotiating table with the union. Even the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) has remained silent on this issue.
The Nestle Philippines management, however, has refused to change its position. Instead, they have continuously harassed and intimidated the workers, and are now openly using violence, with the use of spiked batons and water cannons.
We urge everyone to extend their support to the workers of Nestl?in the Philippines. Send protest letters, fax barrage and email barrage to the Nestl?offices in the Philippines and in Switzerland. Also send letters to the related government agencies.
SEND LETTERS TO:
Mail/fax/email your protest letters to:
Mr Juan B. Santos
CEO & President
Nestl?Center
31 Plaza Drive
Rockwell Center, Makati City,
Philippines
Fax No. (632) 8906681
Email: JuanB.Santos@ph.nestle.com
Mr Peter Brabeck
Chief Executive Officer
Nestl?Vevey
Switzerland
Email: Peter.Brabeck_Letmathe@nestle.com
Hon. Patricia Sto. Tomas
Labor Secretary
Department of Labour and Employment
7th Floor, DOLE Building
Muralla Street, Intramuros, Manila,
PHILIPPINES
Email: sto-tomapat@pacific.net.ph
Fax: 0063-2-527 3494
Hon. Purificacion V. Quisumbing
Chairperson
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., UP Complex
Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Q.C.
Fax: 0063-2-9290102
Solidarity messages can be sent to:
Mr. Diosdado Fortuna
Union President UFE-DFA-KMU
c/o KMU International Dept.
Balai Obrero Foundation
63 Narra St. Proj. 3, Q.C.
Fax: 0063-2-4211049
e-mail: kmuid@i-manila.com.ph
Please inform:
Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)
c/o Kowloon Union Church,
No.4 Jordan Road, Kowloon,
Hong Kong SAR
Tel. no.: (852) 2723-7536
Fax no.: (852) 2735-4559
E-mail: apmm@hknet.com
Temporary homepage: www.apmm.cjb.net
and the Nestl?Union:
Mr. Diosdado Fortuna
Union President UFE-DFA-KMU
c/o KMU International Dept.
Balai Obrero Foundation
63 Narra St. Proj. 3, Q.C.
Fax: 0063-2-4211049
e-mail: kmuid@i-manila.com.ph
of whatever action you make take.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear
Nestl?Factory Workers at Cabuyao, Laguna, the Philippines
For one year and five months the Nestl?management has continued to deprive the Philippine workers at the Nestl?factory in Cabuyao of one of their basic rights -- that is, to reap the produce of their hard work for the company. The primary issue in the labour conflict, which has been going on since 14 January 2001, is the Nestl?management's refusal to include the retirement benefits in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
Nestl?has ignored the decision of the Supreme Court that "the court agrees with the NLRC finding that the retirement plan, Feb 4, was a collective bargaining issue right from the start" (p: 109, Rollo, GR No: 91231, Feb 4, 1991) and has refused to change its position. Instead, they have continuously harassed and intimidated the workers, and are now openly using violence. Even the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE) has remained silent on this labour issue.
To date, 50 Nestl?workers have been injured in the conflict. Also injured were members of the Union of Filipro Employees ?Drug & Food Alliance ?Kilusang Mayo Uno (UFE ?DFA ?KMU) and supporters from different factories and workers?communities.
The greed of this giant food company that starves its workers must end. We urge you to take action against Nestl?and the alleged perpetrators of the violence: elements of the Regional Special Action Force (RSAF), the Philippine National Police (PNP) - Cabuyao, Task Force Calabarzon, PNP Task Force Nestl? and hired hands under Ground Commander Mandigma, Col. Valencia (the Chief of Police ?Cabuyao) and Col. Fernando Cuico.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
