August 17, 2009
REFERENCE: Melona R. Daclan, Campaign Director, Defend Job Philippines
mel.defendjob@yahoo.com
AS THEY SUBMIT TO TRIUMPH HQ A JOINT APPEAL DENOUNCING AND RESISTING THE ANTI-WORKER AND UNJUST RETRECHMENT OF WORKERS BY GERMAN-OWNED TRIUMPH INTERNATIONAL
Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong. Three union leaders from the Philippines under the Bagong Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Triumph International (New Unity of Workers in Triumph International Philippines), Triumph International Thailand Labor Union, DEFEND JOB PHILIPPINES with Hong Kong based organizations of migrants and organizations staged a protest rally in front of the Triumph International Global Headquarters, today at Kowloon Bay.
Union Leaders went at the 32nd floor of the building where the Triumph International is headquartered globally and for Asia and Pacific Concerns. However, only 6 union leaders were successful to reached and staged protest program at the main door of the Triumph Office while many other were blocked by tens of security guards.
DEFEND JOB PHILIPPINES Chairman and Campaign Director, Melona R. Daclan firmly and loudly read right in front of the Triumph main entrance the JOINT APPEAL of the Triumph Unions, local Hong Kong unions, migrant groups, people's organization and NGO's.
Mr. Leonardo Innocenzi-global head refused to respond to the request of the union leaders for a dialogue and instead sent two emissaries, the marketing head and the general manager of Hong Kong Triumph and said that Mr. Innocenzi will meet the union leaders from the Philippines and Thailand in the future.
“We cannot wait for any longer because our families and children in the Philippines and in Thailand are suffering and live in miserable condition. Many of our children stop schooling and soon we will be ejected from our homes.”
“Innocenzi and the rest of the global executives of Triumph International refused to show up because they are very much afraid with the workers. When it comes to profit, Triumph “International is so fast to extract wealth from us but when it comes to obligation and responsibility, they are now running away.” Lita dela Cruz stressed.
The Triumph International workers and supporting groups denounce the anti-worker, unjust and inhumane closure of 2 production plants in the Philippines resulted to the retrenchment of 1663 workers in the Philippines and 1959 were also laid off in Thailand.
They are joined with workers under the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Union, Asia Pacific Migrants Mission, Filipino Migrants Workers Unions, Asia Monitoring Resource Center, Migrante Hong Kong, Bayan-Hong Kong and other groups in Hong Kong to put pressure to the Triumph International to resolve the workers demands.
Triumph International has implemented an anti-worker policy, the global restructuring program that has resulted to the massive retrenchment of more than 1663 Filipino workers and more than 1959 Thai workers of Triumph International.
Isabelita dela Cruz, President of the Bagong Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Triumph International and President also of DEFEND JOB PHILIPPINES and two others arrived late night on August 12 in Thailand and journey to Hong Kong on August 14-17 for a solidarity meetings, lobbying and actions against the injustice of German-owned Triumph International.
“We travel Thailand and Hong Kong to build a strong solidarity between our unions and workers (Triumph International Thailand and Philippines) in order to advance our struggle to defend job, rights and welfare. Both of our unions were blatantly attacked by the greedy and suppressive policy of the Triumph International which the global restructuring program which mainly aims to extract more wealth from the workers, cost cutting in the guise of closure and union busting to take back all the hard won victories of the workers. We believe that the best global restructuring program is slashing the profit of the multi-national companies like Triumph International and in the same way reducing the luxurious incentives of the bosses.” Isabelita dela Cruz stressed.
“We call on Triumph International to sincerely and seriously resolve the issues with the workers and urgently take heed to the legitimate call of the Triumph workers. Take action to the joint appeals of our unions. We demand for unconditional reinstatement of the retrench workers; We demand for justice. We call on Triumph International to stop worsening the already miserable conditions of the workers. And respect our dignity of work. Stressed Isabelita dela Cruz.
Isabelita dela Cruz added that the solidarity of the two unions will strengthen as they reach out and forge unity with other Triumph workers in other countries, to the workers of the world, other sectors of the society especially the marginalized sectors.
Lastly Ka Lita announced the big rally of Triumph workers in the Philippines and Solidarity Action to DEFEND JOB on AUGUST 26 at Department of Labor and Employment and Malacanang Palace. They will be joined by fellow Triumph Union in Thailand, workers and migrants in Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and other countries.##########
