Up to 1,195 Nexperia Philippines Inc. workers voted in support of the strike called by the Nexperia Philippines Inc. Workers’ Union-National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (NPIWU-NAFLU-KMU) on December 20. The vote was held 10 days after the union officially filed a notice of strike with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) Region IV-A in Calamba, Laguna.

“This clearly indicates our unity and determination to fight for our rights. The overwhelming number of ‘yes’ votes demonstrates the widespread support for the possibility of a strike as a response to our issues,” stated the NPIWU. The planned strike is a response to the company’s already year-long delay and deadlock in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

However, after the notice was filed, Nexperia treacherously dismissed four union officers, including its president on December 17. In response, NPIWU demanded Nexperia to reinstate the four officers, resume CBA negotiations, and stop union busting activities.

The union declared, “This action is a manifestation of our unity, courage, and the workers’ appreciation of collective strength to uphold just demands.” Despite the short preparation time, a significant number of workers took action and voted.

“This clearly conveys that we will not simply surrender our fight for our basic rights. The victory of our struggle is the victory of all Filipino workers,” NPIWU further stated.

Nexperia workers protested on December 23 before the Department of Labor and Employment main office in Intramuros, Manila, to condemn the agency for blatantly disregarding the company’s violations of workers’ rights.

Nexperia Philippines is a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based company Nexperia, which manufactures semiconductors in its factories in Europe, Asia, and the US.