6th year anniversary of strike in Nestle: "We will carry on the fight to the end!"

This is the call of around 140 workers, families, and supporters marking the 6th year anniversary of strike in Nestlé Philippines Cabuyao, Laguna, on January 14.

The commemoration kicked off with an organized march at 3:37PM from the picketline to the national road in Barangay Niugan, Cabuyao. Workers carried posters of slain Nestle union president and PAMANTIK-KMU chairman Diosdado “Ka Fort” Fortuna and streamers bearing excerpts from Supreme Court decisions.

Around a hundred completely-clad dispersal guards held Gate 1 of Nestlé, while another hundred in Gate 2. Another hundred visible full-battle geared elements of Laguna Industrial Park Police Assistance Group (LIPPAG), under the command of PNP Major Marvin Saro, manned the outside immediate perimeters of Nestlé. Cabuyao and CALABARZON Police were also present.

By 3:58PM, the march ended at Gate 1 and a program was held.

“In the six long years of struggle, we are no longer afraid. Our commitments, tempered by time, will carry on until justice is served,” exclaimed Luz Fortuna, widow of Diosdado Fortuna, as her voice trembled in rage.

Workers from other unions and alliances such as Nissan Motors, Yarn Ventures Resources Inc., and Alyansa ng Manggagawa sa Enklabo (AMEN) also expressed their solidarity messages to Nestle workers’ strike commemoration.

Community members also watched the program.

Meanwhile, Major Saro himself demanded a permit to rally from and tried to dissuade the workers from holding the program in front of the company gates. Nestle union officials negotiated for the program to proceed.

“Sinumang taong may katinuan ay kumbinsido at magsasabi ng buong katotohanan na walang ginawa si Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo para sa taumbayan (Anyone with a clear state of mind is convinced and will state a fact that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has done nothing for the people),” said Noel Alemania, Nestle union president and newly-elected deputy secretary-general of PAMANTIK.

“GMA has persistently provided a haven of paradise for foreign monopoly capitalists such as Nestle, while the masses of the people are in dire poverty and hell. She has done nothing to enforce laws benefiting workers such as with the case of two favorable Supreme Court decisions on the Nestle labor dispute,” continued Alemania.

“And of course, always and ever ready, GMA’s police and military are there to disperse, harass, and kill workers.”

“In our six years of arduous struggle, we are left with no option but to carry on the fight till victory is won. We must carry on the fight against Nestlé and the anti-worker, anti-people US-Arroyo regime,” concluded Alemania.

The program ended at around 5PM. Workers peacefully marched back to the picketline.