Food giant Dole Philippines in South Cotabato suspending workers active in union actions

The National Federation of Labor Unions (NAFLU-KMU) staged a picket protest in front of the Dole Philippines Corp. office at the Makati Central Business District to denounce the management’s continuing harassment against employees of the multinational food corporation based in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

After Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) Secretary Arturo Brion assumed jurisdiction over the labor dispute between the workers and the management of the food corporation, company executives have implemented severe actions against officers and members of the DoleFil labor union, Asosasyon sa mga Mamumuo sa Dole Alang sa Kalinaw ug Demokratikong Nasud or AMADO-KADENA a member of NAFLU-KMU.

The Assumption of Jurisdiction Order issued by Brion averted a labor strike last August following a deadlock in the Collective Bargaining negotiation that has been dragging on since early this year. DoleFil workers accused the management of negotiating in bad faith.

According to NAFLU-KMU Treasurer Buddy Carranza, “the management persists in harassing DoleFil employees by issuing weekly suspension orders against workers who are known participants or supporters of union activities.”

“Workers are suspended for no valid reasons at all and without due process. We find this gravely offensive to labor rights. Workers are entitled to participate in the Collective Bargaining process and other activities concerning their interests in the workplace,” Carranza asserted.

“In the country, big companies including Dole Philippines continue to enforce anti-labor policies. But instead of taking the side of aggrieved employees, the government often tolerates unfair labor practices for the sake of business interests and protection of foreign investments.”

“Around the world, subsidiary companies of the Dole food corporation have extreme records of abuse and repression against banana and pineapple plantation workers,” Carranza said.

The labor leader said that violation of labor rights and acts of repression against Filipino workers take place on a nationwide scale. The condition of garment workers in the Cavite Export Processing Zones gained international prominence after foreign companies asked Malacanang to look into the case of Chong Won and Phils Jeon labor dispute. These Korean owned companies based at the CEPZ are suppliers of garment and retail giants like Walmart, Gap, Ralph Lauren and Ann Taylor in the U.S.

“We are coordinating with unions of banana and plantation workers in Latin America who are suppliers of Dole Corp. and its companies worldwide. We will step up the international campaign against Dole and its unfair labor practices against Filipino workers,” Carranza concluded.

DoleFil is a a multimillion agricorporation based in Polomok, South Cotabato. It is producing canned and fresh fruits, vegetable and cut flowers for export. It is a subsidiary of American based Dole Food Company.