National Federation of Labor Unions–Kilusang Mayo Uno (Naflu-KMU) workers and unionists picketed the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) Region 3 office in San Fernando, Pampanga on January 21. They condemned the agency for its anti-worker rulings and its sluggish handling of other cases filed by workers.

Participants in the protest included workers and unions from SG Farms Processing Plant and Maximus Dressing Plant, both under Naflu-KMU. The two poultry processing plants are located in Barangay San Isidro, San Simon, Pampanga. SG Farms supplies chicken to Jollibee and Wendy’s.

According to Naflu-KMU, the agency’s labor arbiters are “one-sided.” “Arbiters act sluggish when in behalf of workers but move lightning-fast when favoring capitalists.”

One example is the NLRC Region 3’s decision on the case of SG Farms worker Bonifacia Yamuta. The company illegally dismissed its workers in late 2024. The federation said the agency hastily ruled to grant only 13 days of separation pay to the workers—a decision grossly favoring the capitalist.

The company Maximus clearly engaged in union busting when it shut down and illegally terminated workers who formed a union in July 2024. Naflu-KMU said the arbiter made no thorough review of the petitions filed by workers and immediately issued a decision favoring the company.

Beyond these, the federation also denounced the agency’s sluggish response to complaints filed by workers from Crimeria Bakery, Hongtai, and Savi Hardware. Crimeria Bakery workers have gone back and forth for three years over the back wages recomputations that dragged on but was only promised to be completed this January 2026.

The arbiter took no action for over a year on a motion filed by Hongtai workers. Savi Hardware illegally dismissed 10 workers. When the workers filed complaints with the NLRC, the arbiter ruled in favor of the management which did not even submit a position paper, the federation said

“Arbiters of NLRC Region 3, your bias for the capitalists is blatant and shameless,” Naflu-KMU retorted. It challenged the agency to “do better and side with the workers who are being denied their rights.”

The federation called on fellow workers to continue standing firm and fighting for their rights to wages, work, and dignity.