As global discussions on development and sustainable growth continue in multilateral institutions, workers remain trapped in cycles of exploitation and oppression across the globe. The dominant neoliberal framework prioritizes corporate profits over people, treating workers as disposable tools in the relentless pursuit of endless surplus.
Progress toward decent work and economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region remains challenging. The global economy has experienced prolonged stagnation since the 2008 financial crisis, significantly impeding a robust recovery in the labor market. Growth declined to 3.2% in 2024 from 3.3% in 2023 and 3.6% in 2022, with a similar pace projected for 2025. The region also ranks as the second-worst globally for workers’ rights, with systematic violations in 2023 and 2024, including restrictions on union formation, strikes, and collective bargaining.
According to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index of 2024, approximately 90% of countries denied workers the right to organize or join unions, 83% violated collective bargaining rights, 78% arrested or detained workers, 70% limited access to justice, 61% restricted free speech and assembly, and 48% saw violent attacks on workers. Alarmingly, trade union leaders were killed in Bangladesh, the Philippines, and South Korea, while others face arbitrary arrests and sentencing in Cambodia, Iran, and Myanmar.
The struggle of Nexperia workers highlights not just a local or regional issue but a broader global challenge of corporate accountability and workers’ rights. They are demanding fair labor standards and calling on Nexperia Philippines Inc. to engage in good-faith negotiations with its striking workers, who seek just wages, job security, and the right to unionize. The ongoing strike highlights the urgent need for multinational corporations worldwide to ensure fair compensation, respect labor unions, and uphold the dignity of workers.
Mary Ann Castillo, president of NPIWU-NAFLU-KMU, has underscored that the struggle of Nexperia workers is emblematic of a broader trend of corporate exploitation. Speaking at a webinar last September 2024, coinciding with the UN conference on the Summit of the Future, Castillo revealed that hundreds of workers were laid off to maximize profits, driven by automation under Industry 4.0—the latest phase of the industrial revolution.
Nexperia aims to achieve a 1:8 worker-to-machine ratio, up from the current 1:2 and 1:4 ratios. This shift is not isolated; it reflects a global pattern where workers are treated as expendable in the pursuit of corporate gain. Castillo describes this as the “illusion of development,” where economic progress is touted, yet workers face worsening conditions and job insecurity.
Despite 21 rounds of negotiations and three conciliation hearings, Nexperia has failed to meet workers’ demands, offering only a PHP 17 (USD 0.30) daily wage increase—far below the PHP 50 (USD 0.87) increase stipulated in their collective bargaining agreement. These workers produce millions of microchips daily, yet their wages do not reflect their critical role in the company’s success.
In response to the strike, Nexperia management has reportedly cut off water, electricity, and food access to the workers, exacerbating their plight. Additionally, the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Assumption of Jurisdiction (AJ) order has further restricted workers’ rights by prohibiting strikes and enabling the dispersal of protests.
The Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) calls for the immediate lifting of this order to allow workers to exercise their fundamental rights.
APRN echoes the Union’s demands to the Nexperia Management:
APRN also calls on international labor organizations, civil society organizations, peoples organizations, and concerned individuals to take action by:
APRN stands in solidarity with all Nexperia workers, reaffirming our commitment to championing workers’ rights and corporate accountability across the Asia Pacific. We must move toward fair and just labor practices that recognize workers as essential stakeholders in economic growth.
Genuine development can only be achieved by dismantling exploitative practices and fostering sustainable, inclusive growth across sectors, communities, and groups. Just, equitable, and sustainable systems must prioritize the people’s right to development, empowering marginalized sectors and communities to shape their own futures. This requires resisting and countering the prevailing neoliberal development paradigm, which perpetuates exploitative economic models that prioritize market-driven profits over human well-being. True progress demands a shift toward people-centered development that ensures dignity, equity, and shared prosperity for all.
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