Workers of Gardenia Bakeries Phils Inc and Philfoods Fresh Baked Products Inc protested in Biñan, Laguna on December 19. The union-led workers denounced the capitalists and state forces for their harassment, exploitation, and attacks.

The Union of Bakers at Gardenia Bakeries Phils Inc and the Union of Bakers at Philfoods Fresh Baked Products Inc first held their protest in front of the factory before proceeding to the gate of Laguna International Industrial Park (LIIP) in Barangay Mamplasan. Both unions belong to the Organized Labor Associations in Line Industries and Agriculture (Olalia), a federation under the militant labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU).

The union at Gardenia lamented that the company withheld the workers’ rightful wages and bonuses this month. Meanwhile, the union at Philfoods Inc demanded additional pay stemming from the wage distortion promised by the capitalists. The two bread factories’ workers expected to receive these payments this month, since Christmas was only a few days away.

The Pagkakaisa ng mga Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (Pamantik, or Unity of Southern Tagalog Workers), the KMU regional chapter in Southern Tagalog, expressed support for the protest of the two unions. It said that Christmas Day was only a few days away, yet the workers of Gardenia and Philfoods still had empty pockets.

On December 14, workers and unions under Olalia-KMU marched through the streets of Cabuyao, Laguna to mark the federation’s 40th anniversary. The federation declared that it would continue advancing the workers’ militant struggle for living wages, regularization, job security, and the right to unionize.