Workers continue staging a strike at the Nexperia Philippines Inc. Headquarters in Cabuyao City, Laguna province on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Photo from All Nexperia Fight/Facebook)
MANILA, Philippines — Workers at a semiconductor manufacturer secured commitments from their employer for a wage increase and the reinstatement of two union officers, following a 74-hour strike at its headquarters in Cabuyao City, Laguna province.
Nexperia Philippines Inc. Workers Union President Mary Ann Castillo told INQUIRER.net on Sunday that the strike stemmed from a deadlock in the negotiations for their collective bargaining agreement for 2024 to 2026 and the dismissal of four union officers.
According to Castillo, the company committed to a wage increase in the form of a lump sum equivalent to P17 per day for 2024, P19 per day for 2025, and P21 per day for 2026.
The union originally appealed for a P150 pay hike, eventually lowering their appeal to a P50 increase over the course of negotiations, Castillo said.
She also said the company committed to a P20,000 signing bonus to be distributed to employees on April 15.
This was P2,000 higher than the P18,000 initially offered during negotiations, which was half the previously offered P36,000 signing bonus, the union president explained.
Further, Castillo and the union’s public relations officer were reinstated.
They, along with the union’s vice president and shop steward, were dismissed following the bargaining deadlock last November, according to Castillo.
Additionally, the union president said they secured a commitment for the company not to retaliate against workers who joined the 74-hour strike from Wednesday afternoon to Saturday.
“To me, it’s still a victory. Even though we did not get the proposal we wanted for our wage, at least, we will get a wage hike now. We will enjoy it now,” Castillo said in Filipino during a phone interview with INQUIRER.net.
Dispute
Negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement began in 2024 but were deadlocked last November, resulting in the union filing a notice of strike on December 10, Castillo said.
She added that the four union officers, including herself, were dismissed from the company on December 17, 2024 which was immediately followed by a second notice of strike that afternoon.
The strike was initially set for December 21 but was postponed.
On February 5, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma assumed jurisdiction to arbitrate the dispute, convening conferences on February 11, February 18, and March 5, but both parties still did not reach a settlement.
The strike began on the afternoon of March 5, just as morning shift workers were coming out and afternoon shift workers were coming in, Castillo said.
The union president told INQUIRER.net that their electricity supply was cut off but eventually restored and that their access to food, medicine, and comfort rooms was limited during the strike.
According to the National Conciliation and Mediation Board, as cited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), food concessionaires moved out and the clinic in the facility was locked.
On March 7, DOLE ordered all striking employees to return to work and for the company to resume operations.
According to Castillo, the union members voted to end the strike on March 8, deciding to work with the concessions the company had given thus far.
She estimated that the strike cost the company P1 billion.
INQUIRER.net sought comment from Nexperia Philippines Inc. but has yet to receive a response as of this posting.
“Many became aware. That’s when we started again to strengthen our union. That’s also when other workers and other unions were inspired… that what we did with our fight, despite the AJ, was possible,” Castillo said in Filipino.