The Technol Eight Philippines Workers Union (TEPWU)-OLALIA-KMU and Karapatan-Laguna condemned the surveillance of Mario Fernandez, TEPWU leader, on March 9. Suspicious individuals aboard motorcycles were seen following Fernandez. The union believes that this intimidation is related to their upcoming negotiations with the company’s management for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

“The…intimidation and harassment of union leaders is a clear violation of human rights,” Karapatan-Laguna said. They believe that this is a part of possible plot by the Technol Eight Philippines capitalists and the National Task Force-Elcac, which is notorious for cases of house “visits” and harassment of unionists in the province.

This is not the first time Fernandez experienced surveillance and other forms of intimidation. At the height of negotiations for their CBA in 2022, his life was also threatened.

During that time, the union faced long and several rounds of negotiations with management for the CBA due to the company’s refusal to provide benefits for workers. It took several months and 16 plant-level talks before a complaint was filed before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB).

“We stand in solidarity with Fernandez, the TEPWU, and all unionists who are facing similar threats and attacks,” added Karapatan-Laguna. They demand that this tactic of targeting unionists be stopped and resisted.

Technol Eight company manufactures body shell for Innova and Vios vehicles.