Workers of Luen Thai Philippines in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga are subjected to the company’s “forced leave” scheme on the pretext of having no production. In a statement, the Workers’ Movement for Change-Central Luzon said the company’s workers in the company have been idle and jobless for one to two months due to this scheme.

“We have been on forced leave for two months, how long are you going to make us suffer?” the workers urged. Many of them want the company to give separation pay, instead of forcing them to wait for work to open. Other workers were forced to resign from work to find another job.

The group added, “these occurring forced leaves …are just a capitalist scheme to increase profits.” Just like in other parts of the country, companies falsely claim that they are losing money or that they are not receiving orders for production, but the truth is that production go into overdrive before workers are put on “forced leave.” The excess products are then stored and sold during the production stop, according to the group.

“Thus, despite the production stop, the company is constantly making money because it still has a lot to sell,” according to the group. On the other hand, the workers are without wages because they are out of work due to the forced leave.

Luen Thai Philippines or L&T International Group Philippines Inc. is a subsidiary of Luenthai group, a global consumer goods supply chain and fashion company. In the country, it has facilities and factories in export processing zones (EPZ) in Pampanga, Tarlac, Bataan and Cebu. It partners with companies such as Ralph Lauren, Dillard’s, Adidas, Uniqlo, Victoria’s Secret, Coach, Michael Kors and others.