New York-New Jersey workers solidarity alliance forwards this clean clothes campaign appeal to the international syndicalist and anarchist movement

A-INFOS news service, 24 June 2001

Urgent Appeal: Garment Factory Strike in the Philippines

Following is an appeal for support from a garment factory union on strike in the Philippines. The company, International Garments Manufacturing Corp. (IGMC) produces for Wrangler and The Gap, among others. Seventy percent of the total production is geared for the overseas market-90% of which goes to the USA and Asia, and the rest to Europe.

Participated in by about a third of the factory's 629 workforce, the strike broke out last May 1 when union negotiations with the management under government mediation failed. Claiming losses on one hand, and new ownership on the other , the management wanted to dismiss all its workers. The striking unions-one for supervisors called International Garments Supervisory Union (IGSU) and another for rank-and-file workers called United Workers of International Garments (MANAIG)-oppose the mass dismissal saying that the real purpose of the management is not to close the company but to bust the militant union existing in the factory.

Last February, management put the workers on job rotation ( workers have to work alternately with other workers ). As it affected the workers take home pay and welfare, the union opposed this measure and held negotiations with the management but to no avail. The management even extended job rotation for another month.

Worth noting is that during this period, the workers realized that raw materials, supplies, and other purchases intended for the factory were diverted to the company's sub-contractors.

In March the company suddenly announced that the company was sold to new owners and that all workers have to be terminated after paying a small separation fee. The union protested on the bases of the existing collective bargaining agreement. In a move seen to weaken the union position, management promised to rehire workers who are voluntarily resigning.

The unions dispute the claim of the company that it is losing money. Although the company's financial statement for the current year shows losses, the consecutive years before showed huge profit margins. Moreover,the unions express doubt over the veracity of this year's financial statement shown to them by the company as it doesn't jibe with the figures (which showed profit) of the financial statement of the company members of the supervisory union had access to prior to the strike.

Although many union members accepted the company's termination package hoping that management keeps its promise to rehire them, some union members are holding on to their strike demanding that the company honours the current collective bargaining agreement. Of the 200 or so strikers, 179 of them are female. On the average, the workers have worked in this factory from 17-20 years!

Protest letters should be sent to the following address. A copy of the Clen Clothes Campaign sample letter is available from us if you wish (email us at wsany@hotmail.com)

Vanity Fair (VF) Corporation (US)
628 Green Valley Road, Suite 500
Greensboro, NC 27408
Phone: 336-547-6000
Fax: 336-547-7634

VF EUROPE

INDUSTRIEPARK-NOOR, 29
9100 SINT-NIKLAAS
Sint Niklaas
Belgium
Phone: +32 3 760 06 11
Fax: + 32 3 778 04 34

VF GERMANY TEXTIL-HANDELS GMBH

Otto Hahn-Str. 36
63303 DREIEICH
Odenwaldkreis
Germany
Phone: +49 6103 5610
Fax: +49 61 03 531 346

VF (J) FRANCE

16 RUE GOUBET
76019 PARIS
Fax : +33 1 400 36020

VF ITALIA

VIA CELLINI 31
20020 SEGRATE
Milano, Italy
Phone: + 39 221 6671
Fax: + 39 0

VF.(J). NEDERLAND B.V.

Bunsenstraat 17
3316 CC DORDRECTH
Dordrecht
Netherlands
Phone: + 31 78 61 800 22

Clean Clothes Campaign
PO Box 11584
1001 GN Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel: + 31 20 4122785
fax: + 31 20 4122786
e-mail:ccc@xs4all.nl