Electronics Watch Monitoring: Focus on the Philippines
"Our overtime is forced work, forced overtime. When you refuse, there is a penalty, you are suspended, or the company threatens us with termination." —Electronics worker in Philippines, interview by the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR).
The risk of forced labour in the Philippine electronics industry is high, reports CTUHR, in its recent Regional Risk Assessment for Electronics Watch, soon available to Electronics Watch affiliates.
CTUHR highlights the following risk factors:
- When workers are internal migrants recruited from villages far from the factory, and leaving the factory is difficult.
- When workers are obliged to work overtime, without days off as a condition for continued employment or contract renewal.
- When wages are so low workers must extend their hours to increase their take home pay, a concern particularly for on-the-job-trainees, who receive few benefits and no social security.
In addition, CTUHR reports, trade unions are virtually absent in the industry. Employment agencies and factories sometimes openly tell job applicants during orientation that they do not tolerate trade unions. Twenty-four workers interviewed by CTUHR categorically stated that unions are not allowed in their companies.
The Labour Code of the Philippines limits the regular working day to eight hours, including short rest periods, and requires a rest period of not less than 24 consecutive hours after every six consecutive regular work days. Overtime is limited to two hours per day, but assembly workers at six factories reported that they cannot refuse overtime work and stated that they literally do not have days off. Workers in another factory reported only one day off in a month.
Workers also reported a variety of health and safety concerns. In one factory workers reported that they stand up to work eleven hours at a stretch, except during meals and snack breaks, to be able to operate tall machines. Workers at seven factories reported frequent headaches at work. Workers at six factories reported frequent urinary tract infections because of having to delay toilet visits during work. One worker said that there are several cases where workers simply collapsed at work due to hunger, fatigue, and headaches.
"We really hope that the study can make an impact on the workers in the industry," says CTUHR. Electronics Watch urges affiliates to address the risks of breaches of labour rights and health and safety standards with contractors that supply products made in the Philippines. Contractors should explain how they investigate, mitigate, and prevent these risks in their supply chains, and remedy harms to workers.