SAN PABLO CITY – Workers from the Kawasaki United Labor Union (KULU) ended their strike, but seven workers including four union officers are still barred from returning to work.

After 170 days, KULU announced that they are ending the strike following the issuance of an Assumption of Jurisdiction from the Department of Labor and Employment, November 7. 

However, the union stressed that this does not mean that the union has achieved victory.

“What we’ve shown is our determination, will, and sacrifice for our rights,” KULU said in its statement. “We faced multiple challenges but we chose to continue because we believe in our goals and in the welfare of all our members who fought and sacrificed.”

Despite the order, Kawasaki Motors Philippines Corporation is refusing to allow seven workers to return to work. According to KULU, the seven were refused entry by security guards. When pressed, the officer-in-charge reportedly refused. 

The union stressed that the seven workers were dismissed during the strike which is illegal.

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) is concerned by the labor department’s injunction. “Laguesma’s assumption of jurisdiction over the Kawasaki labor dispute violates many workers’ rights,” the group said in its statement, adding that the assumption of jurisdiction has prevented the striking workers from continuing to fight for their “right to a living wage, to collectively bargain and to strike.”

CTUHR said that Kawasaki took advantage of the AJ order to “violate workers’ right to security of tenure and to freedom of association,” referring to the illegal dismissal. “This is most offensive to workers.”

In a statement, KULU said, “There might be an Assumption of Jurisdiction order from Labor Secretary Laguesma, but we will continue to fight until we fully achieve our benefits, just wages, and the return to work of our seven fellow unionists that were illegally dismissed by the company.”

KULU passed its position paper to DOLE on November 13, urging Kawasaki management to “re-admit all striking employees to their respective jobs and positions before the strike.” 

CTUHR also urged Laguesma to heed the workers’ demands. “At the very least, Laguesma and the DOLE should order Kawasaki to reinstate the seven unionists that the company retrenched by piggybacking on the implementation of the assumption of jurisdiction.”

At least 289 Kawasaki workers went on strike on May 21, 2025 following a deadlock in collective bargaining agreement negotiations. Negotiations between KULU and Kawasaki management have stalled since August 2024 after back-and-forth talks over wage increases. KULU was demanding a 10.5 percent wage increase, down from their initial demand of 12% while management was only willing to give as much as seven percent. During the course of the strike, management’s offer went down as little as a five-percent increase.

KULU said that management removed benefits such as company outings, family days, sports fests, and Christmas parties.

According to KULU union president Richard Balberan, workers in Kawasaki earn P37,000 ($627) monthly. Kawasaki Motors meanwhile reported a revenue of P35 million ($593,000)last year, with a monthly production of 18,000 motorcycles per month.

During the strike, Balberan and KULU said that Kawasaki management “retaliated harshly” against the striking workers, ranging from threats and harassment to tactics like playing company hymns during protest programs and removing shade from the picket line. Last August, Kawasaki Motors filed a Notice of Lockout against the striking workers, alleging that the strike was illegal and constituted an “unfair labor practice.”

The May 2025 strike is the first in Kawasaki since the Japanese corporation bought out Delsa Industrial Corporation in 1974 to establish Kawasaki Motors Philippines. (DAA)