A record win for workers

CHEERS TO ABS-CBN News and Bulatlat for reporting on the plight of Kowloon House employees who went on a six-day strike after three years of negotiations with business owners. 

Katipunan Food Services Inc (KFSI), which owns Kowloon House, had not implemented wage increases mandated by a Collective  Bargaining Agreement and the other wage orders issued since August 2021. 

An increase of PHP25 in pay adjustment was agreed on by both sides. When management lowered the increase to PHP13, workers went on strike, halting the production and service of the restaurant from April 15 to April 20.

After six days of collective action, the workers on April 20 successfully secured a wage increase, along with the release of service charges. KFSI agreed to a PHP 40 wage increase to be implemented over two years, along with a staggered release of the unpaid service charges amounting to PHP 570,000. The workers also successfully obtained benefits package that includes a signing bonus, vacation leave, sick leave, union leave, loyalty pay, and educational aid.

Limited coverage

Coverage of the strike was limited to a few online reports. ABS-CBN News Online and Bulatlat contextualized the labor issue by supplying background on the labor movement in the country, including activities of the workers’ union. 

Jonathan de Santos of ABS-CBN News reported on the strike, highlighting workers’ plight and the support they needed during the period. He emphasized the failure of management to implement wage increases that had already been approved by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board  had already approved wage increases over the past three years, but these were not implemented. 

A follow-up report on the workers’ success on April 22 also described the low level of unionization in the country as shown by the relatively small number of registered labor organizations relative to the working population. 

Dominic Gutoman called attention to the issue on the April 20 issue of Bulatlat, emphasizing that the offer of Kowloon House management was a pittance.  The on-site coverage included direct quotes from the workers themselves, along with a review of the situation of women workers, highlighting the gender-based attacks and discrimination they face. 

A  follow-up piece presented the profits of Kowloon House in contrast to the low level of workers’ wages. According to the union, workers manufacture about 10,000 siomai orders at PHP 90 each and 6,000 siopao orders at PHP 105 each, setting the company’s daily revenue at approximately PHP 1.53 million.

Newsrooms should give prominence to labor issues, featuring stories as part of the coverage of the economy. Journalists must establish the significance of labor and the contribution of workers to the country’s economic growth.