by IUF Asia/Pacific | Jun 20, 2025 | Collective Bargaining Rights, English language, Freedom of Association, Human Rights
In today’s bilateral meeting between democratically elected local governing body representatives and Coca Cola management representatives, there is no progress on community concern and management refused to make any commitment on employment to local community.
in the absence of satisfactory response from company management, it is collectively decided to continue demanding justice and condemn police action against community, including women.
Here is the press release from the recent press conference of community condemning Coca Cola’s orchestrated police action against community
DocScanner Jun 20, 2025 10-12
by IUF Asia/Pacific | Jun 18, 2025 | English language, Food Service Workers, Freedom of Association, Secure Jobs
Members of the IUF affiliated-Federation of Hotel, Restaurant, Plaza, Apartment, Catering, and Tourism Workers’ Free Union (FSPM) organized protest action to demand reinstatement of two union members at the well-known Japanese sushi restaurant chain, Genki Sushi, in Indonesia.
Union officers and founding members of Genki Sushi Workers’ Union, Sister Diana and Brother Ryan, were unfairly terminated after the franchisee of the restaurant chain, PT Agung Mandiri Lestari, announced store closure in early January 2025. Using efficiency reason, the company dismissed 4 permanent workers, who were all union members, while other 3 non-unionized workers were transferred to other outlets.
The termination of four union members was even more unfair by the fact that the company refused to give them option for transfer at a time when there are still a lot of stores that are experiencing staff shortages. The company also prefers to hire new recruits instead of reemploying the skilled and experienced workers.
In their latest protest on June 4, the FSPM also highlighted the company’s violation on social and health protection regulation by immediately stopping the contribution payment of workers’ government mandatory health insurance when there is no binding decision yet on their termination. This left the wife of one of the terminated workers had no health protection when she was five months pregnant and forced two union members to accept the unilateral termination with no choice.
FSPM members protested at the head office of PT Agung Mandiri Lestari, the subsidiary of MAP Group who is also the franchisee of Burger King, Starbucks, Subway and several other restaurant brands in Indonesia.
by IUF Asia/Pacific | Jun 15, 2025 | Collective Bargaining Rights, English language, Freedom of Association, Human Rights
In India, Coca Cola new greenfield site in Khed is impacting community and management is threatening them with legal action for demanding employment opportunities.
In December 2023, when Coca Cola announced greenfield site in Khed block of Ratnagiri district, local community provided all the required support including lands. In tripartite meetings, community was promised development through rural infrastructure and employment opportunities. Despite regular reminders to company, management deliberately delayed any action and now denied employment.
When company failed to take any action after series of requests, community decided to launch a peaceful protest action but company approached the community leadership and promised positive outcome in scheduled bipartite meeting on May 30, 2025. However, the company again refused to commit direct employment and factory manager choose to remain absent from the meeting. Due to failed meeting, community started preparing for protest action but then company provided false information to local police officials to send intimidating notices to community leaders.
After these threatening notices, community condemned this action and decided silent protest which was a legitimate and democratic expression of their resistance against the unfair recruitment practices and broken promises. Still, a legal action is taken against 22 community leaders and around 450 community members including women.
Local communities denied jobs by a big multinational Coca Cola company and refusal to provide opportunities including quality apprenticeships. Then instead of recognising these legitimate concerns and needs, Coca Cola India allows it to become an issue for the police and sits back and watches legal action against communities including women. Meanwhile, company spends millions in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds portraying their different image but what’s happening with communities in Khed block is the true face of Coca Cola.
It also shows the disregard for local communities that Coca-Cola shows for cane cutters in the same state of India i.e., Maharashtra – again spending millions on high level NGO initiatives but not doing anything to assist the affected cane cutter workers and their communities on ground.
This situation could have been resolved with regular social dialogue with the committee members and fair practise but the company management instead chose to respond with force. This use of aggressive means like intimidation and police action against community most of whom are youth, women and elderly citizens are deeply disturbing. These actions of the company do not only harm their right to employment but also their virtues dignity and justice.
Multinational companies like Coco-Cola get a generous amount of government support through public infrastructure and land acquisition, but when it comes to sharing benefits by creating employment opportunities these companies turn their backs against the locals.
It seems that Coco-Cola is just denying its basic corporate responsibility of respecting local communities, listening to their voices and fulfilling promises. Local governing institution (Gram Panchayat) passed a resolution to condemn this action of the Coca Cola Company against community and decided to continue holding company accountable.
The growth of the Coca Cola must not come at the cost of exploited rights and undemocratic actions. IUF Asia Pacific stand with the affected communities and all the affected people due to this situation and demand immediate intervention of The Coca Cola Company (TCCC).
by IUF Asia/Pacific | May 28, 2025 | Education & Training, English language, Freedom of Association, Human Rights, Our Union Our Power, Secure Jobs
Independent Union Workers of Coca-Cola Indonesia (SBCCSI) held a seminar on “Maintaining Job Security” on May 24-25, 2025 in Cisarua, Bogor, Indonesia in response to workers’ concerns about threats to job security. In this seminar, job security was defined comprehensively to include guarantees of job continuity, protection against structural changes in the company, certainty of workers rights, and guarantees of occupational safety and health. Participants identified various concrete threats such as automation processes that replace human labor, company restructuring, outsourcing practices, and regulatory changes that can have a negative impact on workers. In facing these challenges, SBCCSI share a multidimensional strategy to protect workers from unsecure job by collective approach through trade unions, increasing worker competence, and strengthening negotiation skills with management. This seminar also became an arena to convey workers’ expectations to companies to be more transparent in policy changes, involve trade unions in decision-making, provide skills improvement programs, and maintain workers’ rights even in restructuring situations. The continuity of dialogue between workers, trade unions, and companies is seen as the key to creating a stable and equitable work environment amidst the ever-changing dynamics of the industry.
SBCCSI President Dwi Haryoto provided material on understanding job security, layoffs and restructuring.
by IUF Asia/Pacific | May 28, 2025 | Campaigns, Defending Democracy, English language, Freedom of Association, Human Rights, Our Union Our Power, Secure Jobs
Tangerang–Hundreds of workers who are members of the Food and Beverage Trade Union Federation (FSBMM) who came from Lampung, West Java, Jakarta, Banten, and Yogyakarta, held a second peaceful protest on May 5, 2025 in front of the Unilever Indonesia head office in BSD. This action was a response to the unilateral layoffs that were legally flawed, carried out by PT. Anugrah Mutu Bersama (PT.AMB) where this company is a Joint Venture company of Unilever that produces Bango Soy Sauce.
In their demands, the workers urged Unilever Indonesia management to reinstate Dani Afgani who is the General Secretary of FSBMM and a worker at PT.AMB and to stop the practice of union busting against workers who are active in union organizations. The action proceeded orderly with security guards, and the workers stated that they were ready to carry out further actions if their demands were not taken seriously.
Hundreds of workers united to demand the cancellation of PT. AMB’s unilateral layoffs which were legally flawed and the reinstatement of FSBMM Secretary General Dani Afgani
by IUF Asia/Pacific | May 8, 2025 | English language, Food Service Workers, Our Members, Our Union Our Power
Members of the independent union and workers at one of largest fast-food restaurant specializing in flame-broiled burger, Burger King, are welcoming more and more secure employment at their restaurant in Indonesia. The wins are the result of Burger King union, who is a member union of IUF affiliated-Federation of Hotel, Restaurant, Plaza, Apartment, Catering, and Tourism Workers’ Free Union (FSPM), commitment in campaigning and advocating for a better and decent jobs in the sector.
Established during COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, union members realized the importance of their job in keeping people fed during the public health restrictions, thus making them essential. The reality of their importance and skills are not compensated with decent wages and safe workplace, encouraged them form a union to begin advancing their rights.
Education and training on workers rights and trade unionism for Burger King union members.
The use of many precarious workers, in daily and contractual arrangements, making these workers being easily to be laid off. Often fast-food and restaurant workers live under uncertainty while their families are relying fully on them. As members understand about their rights through the education and training provided by FSPM, union is challenging the common system in the sector and making permanent employment as their priority.
Burger King union meeting.
Through secure employment, workers can gain more access to health and employment protection and other rights such as maternity leave that is supposed to be the rights of every women worker.
In 2021, the year after their establishment, union fought for the reinstatement of 11 contract workers whose employment were terminated using the reason of sales and pandemic situations. Negotiations initiated by the union had successfully led to a joint commitment with management to get these 11 workers back to work and appointed as permanent. Especially during that time of crisis, it was difficult to imagine to achieve this kind of win when there is no union.
The union at Burger King continuously showing their commitment by campaigning for more and more. In late 2023, another 20 daily workers secured their permanent employment. The union struggle continues as the management of the globally recognized fast-food chain agrees to have one voice to improve the situations of workers at their restaurant. Other union victory to minimize any termination by negotiating option for 4 union leaders to be transferred to another store when then were stores closures in 2024 become the example. More and more, the union is waiting for another implementation of the commitment.
Union secured an agreement with management.
The success achieved by the Burger King union in Indonesia demonstrates that collectively, through union, a better jobs that lead to a better future for fast-food restaurant workers is possible. A better job where their skills are respected and their importance is recognized.
