Textile and garment workers and allied sectors affiliated with IndustriALL Global Union participated in a three day collective bargaining and negotiation training course from 3 to 5 March 2017 at Antipolo City. Supported by Japanese union UA Zensen and in cooperation with IndustriALL Philippines, the training aimed to equip skills and enhance the capacity of plant level union officers to negotiate for better working conditions. Twenty five local union officers and shop stewards were equipped with negotiation skills and collective bargaining strategies and techniques. Participants expressed the view that in challenging times where trade union and collective bargaining rights are under attack by corporate globalization, new approaches to collective bargaining are needed, and it is necessary for trade unionists to acquire adequate skills and innovative negotiation strategies. Union density and collective bargaining coverage are low in the Philippines, leading unions to look at different types of collective bargaining so that more workers can be covered by collective agreements. “Real changes happened in our workplace. In the past almost all workers were covered by our collective bargaining agreement, but today contractual workers outnumber regular workers, and those contractual workers are excluded from our collective bargaining agreement”, said Roland Vicencio, a union officer from Frankhaus International Corp. “Now that we are aware that this situation will eventually lead to the loss of our bargaining power and weaken the union, it is a challenge for the union to exert our collective effort to negotiate for inclusive provision of all workers regardless of their status,” he added.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Turning the supply chain upside down, on-demand production reshapes apparel
The global fashion industry, long celebrated for its creativity and scale, is facing a structural reckoning. For decades, retailers and... Read more
Intertex Milano 2026 - A global nexus for textile innovation
Intertex Milano is set to return this summer, confirming its status as a premier international destination for the textile and... Read more
Primark at crossroads as AB Foods weighs spin-off amid digital and Lefties press…
The long-standing supremacy of Europe’s budget fashion champion, Primark, is facing a test. As of February 2026, Associated British Foods... Read more
Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia drive US apparel imports in 2025
The 2025 year-end data for the US apparel sector reveals an industry in structural flux. Despite aggressive tariff measures and... Read more
The New Dress Code: Sportswear’s takeover of modern wardrobes
For much of the last decade, fashion retail has been defined by volatility. Trends have shortened, discount cycles have intensified... Read more
Hemp finds its moment in India’s $500 billion American trade calculus
In the grand arithmetic of India’s expanding trade engagement with the US, the headlines usually gravitate toward oil cargoes, aircraft... Read more
EU PET spunbond imports under scrutiny, misclassification sparks regulatory and …
The European nonwovens and technical textiles sector is facing an unprecedented compliance crisis as a rise of customs misclassification threatens... Read more
From atelier to algorithm, Gucci is redefining premium marketing
As Milan welcomes the Primavera 2026 fashion calendar, the spotlight is fixed not just on the runway but on Gucci,... Read more
America’s Store Split: Why discount retailers are winning as department stores s…
By early 2026, the American retail industry no longer resembles a single marketplace moving in one direction. It feels more... Read more
Europe’s Textile Crisis: The sovereign fibre trap and the race against China
By early 2026, the European textile and apparel sector finds itself at a crossroads that challenges traditional market logic. Unlike... Read more












