By ERIKA SINAKING
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Members of Kawasaki United Labor Union (KULU) protested the unresolved Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations that have dragged on for almost one year.

“Hiling lang namin ang tamang sweldo at benepisyo para sa aming pamilya (What we are asking is the right salary and benefits, for the sake of our family),” said Jr, one of the workers who joined the protest. The striking workers carried banners bearing calls for fair treatment.

The strike marks the first labor strike in the Kasawaki Motors Philippines Corporation’s (KMPC) 57-year history in the Philippines, and under the current leadership of President Isao Sudo and Human Resources General Manager Glenrose Ranada who chairs the management panel in the negotiations.

“Habang nasa loob ang aming mga paa, handa kaming makipag-diyalogo, handa kaming makipagnegosasyon. Pero sinayang ng ating presidente (While our feet were inside, we were ready to dialogue and to negotiate, but the president wasted the opportunity),” said Richard Balberan, union president.

In a formal Manifestation to Stage a Strike, submitted to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on May 14, KULU said that they fulfilled all legal requirements to strike after CBA talks hit a deadlock. Despite management citing financial losses as a reason for denying their demands, union leaders call this claim a “big lie.”

According to KULU, their proposals are based on the actual needs and expenses of the workers and are reasonable. They said that they are not demanding excessive compensation but a living wage and just benefits that can help them survive amid rising inflation and cost of living.

“Ang aming welga ay pagpapakita sa mga kapitalista ng aming kahalagahan (Our protest is for us to show to the capitalist our worth),” the union wrote in a statement. “Hindi kami humihingi ng sobra. Alam namin na kayang ibigay ng kumpanya ang hinihingi namin (What we are asking for is not excessive. We are aware of the capacity of the company and that is what we are asking for).”

KULU stressed that while they have now resorted to a strike, they remain open to attending scheduled conciliation meetings with DOLE, including the one set for May 20. (RTS,  DAA)