Nexperia Philippines workers, along with their supporters, protested on March 22 inside the Laguna Industrial Science Park to oppose the planned layoff of 54 workers in April. This is the company’s second termination in eight months.

Last September 2023, the company fired eight workers, three of whom were union officials. The company’s pretext was that it “exceeded” the number of workers it absorbed after closing one of the factory’s departments.

“The management’s action was very malicious,” Nexperia’s union president said. “In April, 54 families will starve, 54 workers will be jobless.”

The union is against the new series of layoffs of up to 72 workers. They know that these aim to dismantle the union that has achieved successes due to the collective action of workers in the past. The union and management are currently in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

“It is clear that the capitalist Nexperia is laying off workers amid the CBA negotiations to deprive workers of their rights,” according to Bayan-Laguna.

Workers at NutriAsia, Philfoods and other unions that suffered similar pressures and youth activists from UP Los Banos joined the action.

“There is nothing we can do but to go out of the factory and march to the streets to shout for the rights of us workers,” they said.

While the peaceful protest was taking place, a police car stood guard at the gate of Nexperia.