Through sustained efforts, workers of Golden Zone Garments and Accessories, Inc, were able to establish their union in the second week of August. The United Workers of Golden Zone Garments and Accessories Inc. (NMGZ) said they formed the union to defend their right for fair wages, adequate benefits and labor rights, and other issues. Their factory is located inside the Light Industry and Science Park II in Laguna. It manufactures winter garments for export.

The rank-and-file workers registered their unions on August 12 after almost a year since they began the endeavor. “It’s like passing through a needle’s eye just to arouse and organize our fellow workers who the capitalists oppress through various policies that suppress our legitimate rights,” the union said.

It said the workers achieved setting up the NMGZ because its members know that unionizing is just and correct. “Because this is one of the ways to achieve what the workers deserve amid heavy workload,” they said.

After they were successful registering the union, members experienced all-sided harassment from the management, which talked to some members to dissociate from the NMGZ.

“Some members were threatened and intimidated to sign a template waiver signifying their resignation from [the union],” NMGZ said. This violates their right to unionize.

The union correspondingly filed a formal complaint with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board. The union leadership and management of Golden Zone Garments and Accessories, Inc held a hearing on September 11 to formally discuss the complaint.

“These types of intimidation and harassment against workers to resign or leave our union are unjust,” NGMZ said. They emphasized that the union aims nothing but to assert the workers’ legitimate and democratic rights, contrary to the management’s propaganda that the union aims for the factory’s closure.

“For all the workers of the Golden Zone, let’s unite and fight for our rights as workers. We workers create the wealth of the capitalists and even the world!” NGMZ said.

NGMZ is part of the Organized Labor in Line Industry and Agriculture-Kilusang Mayo Uno (OLALIA-KMU) federation.