Coca-Cola Philippines is systematically replacing regular jobs with contractual workers. Apart from promoting early retirement programs and replacing its senior workers with contractual employees, the company is also aggressively outsourcing many of its regular jobs. More insidiously, Coca-Cola imposed a program called P3 or Performance, Participation and Presence that consigns thousands of workers and their families who depend on decent wages from regular, unionized jobs to a bleak future.
P3 program lacks any consideration of fairness and equity in wages and wage increases and it removes workers’ hard-won protection against arbitrary and unfair punishment or dismissal as well as protection against discrimination. More importantly, it precludes the use of grievance procedures in questioning the penalties that are imposed to those who ‘fails’ the performance appraisals.
Ironically, this labor row comes at a time when Coca-Cola is celebrating its 100th anniversary. It also comes at a time when Coca-Cola Philippines is up for sale by The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC). It has been reported that Coca-Cola FEMSA from Mexico is looking at the possibility of buying Coca-Cola Philippines and has sent a team to the Philippines to look at the company’s assets.
To support the workers’ struggle, please log on to http://www.facebook.com/
