Workers and other sectors led by the Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno (AMA Sugbo-KMU) picketed before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 7 office in Cebu City on January 22. They called on the agency to take action against the mass termination of Coca-Cola workers at the factory in Cebu. All members of the Progressive Workers Association in Exeltech and Manpower Services Incorporated-Coca-cola Cebu (PWAETMSICCC-IBM-KMU) are set to be fired.

On that day, the union requested but were refused a dialogue with DOLE regional director Atty. Roy Buenafe. They were instead faced by other employees who outrightly ignored the union’s grievances. DOLE employees said they can’t do anything about the matter because their role is only to mediate in the conflicts between the capitalist and its workers.

Coca-cola will implement the terminations on February 10. Over 200 workers, who have been working for the company for 12 to 17 years, will lose their jobs. The mass termination and union-busting will be carried out through the replacement of the manpower agency from which the company sources its workers. The company switched from its previous labor contractor Exel-Tech Manpower and Services to the manpower agency Xisco.

According to AMA Sugbo-KMU, instead of regularizing workers in accordance with DOLE’s order in 2019, Coca-Cola cunningly conducted the layoff behind the veil of “end of contract” with its manpower power agency. The group calls for regularization and non-terministration, and abolition of all forms of contractualization.

Some of the Makabayan Coalition senatorial candidates who were in Cebu at that time participated and participated in the picket. Among them is KMU secretary general Ka Jerome Adonis.