Apple supplier fires Filipino union workers

WITH the launch of the iPhone 6 and new products, Apple has faced much scrutiny and media attention. Now the tech company faces protests, as two dozen of its employees were believed to have been unfairly fired from a supplier in the Philippines.

NXP, a Dutch-based company that supplies parts for Apple, fired 24 union leaders at one of its tech plants in the Philippines. The Filipino workers were reportedly beginning contract negotiations last May.

“Apple can’t make its product run without the work of Philippine workers at NXP,” said Kuusela Hilo from the International League of People’s Struggles.

Even in the United States, human rights activists, workers unions, and Fil-Ams are upset with the news, calling on Apple to rehire its workers and continue contract negotiations.

“One of their factories fired Filipino workers when they were trying to organize and demand for just conditions and this a huge problem,” said Chanelle Yang of the United Students Against Sweatshops. “Union busting is illegal here in the United States and should be illegal in the Philippines as well.”

United Steel Workers District 12 director Bob La Venture commented, “Apple is the one that contracts those 3rd party suppliers, and Apple has all the power to do that.”

A boycott of Apple products, including the highly-anticipated iPhone 6 believed to have semiconductors produced by NXP, has not been called. However, a petition calling for the reinstatement of the Filipino workers has spread, with over 150,000 names already signed.

“We’re calling on Apple to do the right thing with workers around the world, especially in the Philippines where they wanted to voice their democratic right to have a union and Apple is squashing that opportunity to do that,” said La Venture.

Protest actions have also recently taken place at Samsung, another NXP client. The Philippines Department of Labor and Employment is already looking into the issue, and Apple has not yet commented.

(With reports from ABS-CBN News)

(www.asianjournal.com)
(San Francisco September 19-25, 2014 Sec. A pg.1)