Coca-Cola workers: ‘Union busting’ real reason for layoffs
In press conference with leaders of Federation and Cooperation of Cola, Beverage, and Allied Industry Unions (FCCU), Faustino Aguillon of labor group IBM-KMU said Coca-Cola "will be laying off 606 of its workers by the 2nd of March 2018.” AP file photo/Wilfredo Lee
MANILA, Philippines — Workers of Coca-Cola Femsa Philippines Inc. on Friday condemned the massive layoffs of about 600 employees starting March supposedly due to the sting felt from taxes on sugar sweetened beverages slapped by the Duterte administration’s new tax law.
In press conference with leaders of Federation and Cooperation of Cola, Beverage, and Allied Industry Unions (FCCU), Faustino Aguillon of labor group IBM-KMU said Coca-Cola "will be laying off 606 of its workers by the 2nd of March 2018.”
Aguilon stressed that the company behind the popular carbonated soft drink cited the new tax law "as a facade for their union busting despite having no evidence yet of the decline in sales due to the excise tax on sugary and sweet beverages."
Last December, President Rodrigo Duterte inked the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act, which imposes excise levies on sugary drinks as a “health measure” and to generate more revenue.
The TRAIN law slaps a tax of P6 per liter for beverages using caloric and non-caloric sweeteners and P12 per liter for beverages using high fructose corn syrup.
Coca-Cola early this month reportedly said it is undergoing an “organizational structure assessment” amid recent developments within the beverage industry.
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