A large majority of the workers who are members of Nexperia Philippines Inc. Workers’ Union (NPIWU-National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno) voted in favor of launching a strike against the company’s massive layoffs. The union conducted the strike vote on July 29-30 in Cabuyao, Laguna.

As many as 1,246 out of a total of 1,883 workers supported the strike vote, while 48 opposed it. Two ballots were spoiled, two were invalidated and 585 voters abstained. The activity was conducted smoothly after the earlier delayed polling on July 17-18 due to management’s brazen intervention.

On June 26, the union filed a Notice of Strike (NOS) with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) Region IV-A in Calamba, Laguna. The union decided to file the NOS due to unfair working conditions such as dismissal of union officials, temporary dismissal of union members and violation of provisions stated and agreed upon in the collective bargaining agreement.

The series of layoffs in the company since 2023 affected almost 600 workers. The union said the management is using “automation” and “cost-optimization” as pretexts for the mass layoffs.

This means reducing workers to replace them with advanced machinery or technology in their production line to cut costs on wages and increase company profits. Nexperia also used the pretext of workers’ “low-performance” as a basis for layoffs.

“The union extends its highest salute to all Nexperia workers for standing up against layoffs and for rights!” NPIWU-NAFLU-KMU statement. Thus, the capitalist Nexperia is a paper tiger confronting workers’ unity.

Various unions and federations congratulated the successful “strike vote” of Nexperia workers. “The workers saw the need to strike, his weapon against the capitalist. The workers saw that the capitalist Nexperia does not value their daily toil that gives the capitalist its wealth,” NAFLU federation-KMU said.

NPIWU-NAFLU-KMU added, this is an opportunity to further strengthen and consolidate their union. “Prepare our ranks for the strike!” it called to the workers.

The KMU, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of “strong and unwavering unity of unions, workers and other sectors of the people to ensure that the strike is sustained until it is won.”