By JUSTIN UMALI
Bulatlat.com
SANTA ROSA, Laguna – In a bid for regularization, workers from Monde Nissin Philippines staged another strike following a breakdown in negotiations last August 19.
This marks the second time the workers went on strike. They staged their first strike August 6, which lasted roughly nine hours and ended with management agreeing to a negotiation about regularization.
Management, however, did not fulfil the agreement it signed stating that no dismissals would happen. The workers were forced to go on strike after management fired over 200 workers.
Rey Manglal-lang, a worker of Monde Nissin, said, “But they removed all of us. They took us for fools.”
The strike began 4:30 a.m. when 176 workers belonging to the Monde Nissin Labor Association – LIGA (MNLA-LIGA) locked down the eight gates of the Monde Nissin plant.
Not all of the fired workers were members of MNLA-LIGA. “The management claimed that our agencies lost the bidding process, which is why we were fired,” said Manglal-lang.
Solidarity in action
Workers from other unions also expressed their support. Pepmaco and Nutriasia workers assisted in locking down the factory.
“We’re here because we understand that the workers’ struggle doesn’t end in one factory,” said Christine Gudoy, secretary of the Pepmaco Workers Union-NAFLU-KMU. Pepmaco workers are currently on strike to fight for regularization and protection in the workplace.
As of press time, negotiations are underway between Monde Nissin management, the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, and MNLA-LIGA.
“Our stance is clear, though,” said Ferdinand Lopez, another member of MNLA-LIGA. “This strike will not end until we are regularized.”
“We will stay here until they sign our regularization. No more process. We won’t be fooled by capitalists again.” 
