Advan workers win long-denied union recognition after 4-day strike

Workers have again proven the power of collective action - when a four-day strike forced the owner of the company producing Advan shoes to finally recognize the workers’ union and accept their other long-standing demands.

Workers of the Bleustar Manufacturing and Marketing Corporation (BMMC), manufacturer of the Advan brand, staged a strike on November 15 after the management repeatedly refused to sign the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was concluded two months ago to prevent the official recognition of the union as a bargaining unit.

Arduous birth of a union

The Bleustar Workers Labor Union-ANGLO-KMU was formed by the workers as a weapon to fight the sexual harassments committed against them by BMMC owner Jimmy Ong. Around 85 percent of the 200 workers in the company are women.

On September 2008, the workers staged their first strike, which ended their suffering from Ong’s sexual abuses. This strike also forced the management to give voluntary recognition to the union, which would advance their collective battle against other forms of abuses.

After the first strike, however, the management denied genuine recognition to the union by evading CBA negotiations. The workers engaged in all sorts of dialogues and concerted actions, until they filed for a notice of strike early this year. The threat of holding a strike forced the management to face them in CBA talks, the signing of which should have been done last Sept. 26.

But the management continued to evade signing the CBA – until, on the fourth day of the strike on November 18, it finally gave in to the workers’ demands, signed the CBA, and thereby officially recognized the union to have a bargaining capacity.

CBA demands

The CBA, in addition to fully recognizing the union, also compels the management to pay the delayed salaries and benefits of many workers. It also fixes the irregular 13th month pay rates and other workers’ benefits.

The CBA also grants workers union leaves and contains other provisions that will ensure the active life of the union.

Power of the workers

“The Advan workers’ strike has proven that workers can be the most decisive force in any company. Without our labor, no factory will operate, no economy will run, no employer can do anything. What the Advan workers have been asking for – the simple recognition of their union and the provision of essential benefits – are basic rights that should be guaranteed to all workers in the first place,” said KMU chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog.

“The Advan workers have also demonstrated that through a union, through the collective will of workers, they can combat the abuses being committed by capitalists,” Labog added.

“We encourage workers to always believe in the power of their collective action, for only through this can we effect real changes and gain our rights. We have a larger society to change, and the greater participation and resistance of all workers are needed.” #