My salary does not cover my expenses. We are allowed maternity leave
from work as required by law. However, temporary workers will lose
their jobs if they fall pregnant. We are not treated with respect at
the workplace. The workload is not always fair. Men are always promoted
ahead of women. I am in the process of organizing a union but am met
with constant resistance and threats that management will close down
the factory. Since the global, economic crisis 108 workers have been
temporarily laid-off. However, I believe the company is using the
global economic crisis as an excuse. Tigerways was a top rank company
last year and yet they still implement temporary lay-offs. There is
another batch of around 340 workers that will be laid-off very soon.
The total number of Tigerways employees before the lay-offs was 879
workers.

The hardest times at work are when our workload is so high that we
cannot finish in time. We then face disciplinary action which usually
results in illegal dismissal. If I could change two things in the work
place it would be to end the abuse of workers by management and
regulate the high quotas of work and minimal leave.

The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF)
conducted this interview through its partner organization, the Alliance
of Progressive Labor (APL). APL is a trade union that also incorporates
other labor organizations into its strategy of social movement
unionism. It seeks to protect the rights of all workers and not just
wage earners, striving for social transformation. Founded in 1996, APL
was a reaction to inequality and the need to break the barriers between
blue and white collar workers that undermine so many trade unions.