The Kilusang ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK) condemned e-commerce companies and their subcontractors that refused to suspend work in their warehouses in Bulacan when typhoon Uwan struck on November 11. The biggest among these companies are Lazada, Shopee, and Tiktok Shop.

The typhoon hit on the same day as the “11/11 marketing sale,” or the discount sale day held by these companies. Reports reached the organization that women workers had to wade through floodwaters to reach the warehouse where packages are wrapped, sorted, and prepared for delivery. The organization denounced the violation of occupational safety and health standards during the storm.

“This is the life of women workers behind the big sales of e-commerce companies. Rain or shine, they continue to wrap and sort parcels for sales like this 11/11 (November 11),” KMK spokesperson Jacq Ruiz said.

Worse, this suffering comes with very low wages. Workers in these e-commerce companies earn only ₱550, which is ₱20 less than the ₱570 minimum wage mandated on October 30 for Central Luzon.

“Stories of hardship like this during severe disasters are infuriating. Large companies should not prioritize huge profits over their workers’ safety,” Ruiz added.

Bulacan suffers from severe flooding from heavy rain falls because of failed and ghost flood control projects.