In April, Jollibee workers in the US received a notice that their wages would increase to one and a half days’ pay for the occasions of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Migrante-USA released a statement on July 3 saying this partial victory resulted from the continuous struggle of the workers and their supporters for the right to wages, benefits, and decent working conditions.

However, the demand for double pay on all 14 federal holidays in the US remains far from achieved. The notice also explicitly stated that workers who are union members at Jollibee Journal Square in New Jersey would receive no benefit. The company clearly aims to prevent workers from forming a union.

In 2023, Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC) dismissed nine workers after management discovered that they initiated a petition for a $3 wage increase, double pay during holidays, and improved working conditions. They succeeded in their complaint before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) of the US, which ordered Honeybee Food Corporation, JFC’s company in North America, to pay their back wages, reinstate four workers, and apologize to those who were dismissed.

Jollibee workers and their supporters renewed their call in January and May 2024 for double pay during holidays at the Jollibee Wheaton restaurant in Maryland.

According to Migrante USA, JFC’s wealth and expansion in North America come from the labor of Filipino migrants and their families.

“We assert that JFC has the capacity to meet the workers’ demand for double pay on all 14 occasions. However, the company’s greed for profit deprives the workers of what they rightfully deserve.”

“As we celebrate our victory, we continue to call for the labor rights of Jollibee workers in Wheaton. We encourage all Jollibee workers to persist in fighting for the improvement of your livelihood and working conditions and to oppose injustice,” the group said.

There are currently 104 Jollibee restaurants in North America, with plans to build an additional 350 restaurants in the coming years. In 2024, JFC’s stores worldwide reached 9,766. It recorded $180 million in net income in 2024. Its owner, Tony Tan Caktiong and his family, are the sixth richest comprador bourgeoisie in the Philippines.