Chong Won Fashion Inc. (recently renamed “C. Woo”), has produced collegiate apparel in the past and is a current and long-time producer of Wal-Mart products. Chong Won workers are currently striking for their most basic rights which Wal-Mart and Chong Won management have failed to deliver for several years.  After more than a year of patient attempts to negotiate with management the workers were forced to go on strike due to management’s repeated refusal to come to the table and start negotiations (refusal to bargain is a legally strikable issue in the Philippines).  The issues Chong Won workers wished to address through negotiations were excessive forced overtime, illegal use of contract workers, discrimination and harassment of union members, wages below the legal minimum to name a few. Chong Won workers started their peaceful picket line on September 25, 2007.

Immediately upon beginning their lawful strike Chong Won management, PEZA officials, and Jantro Security guards working at the behest of PEZA violently attacked the picket line and forcefully escorted scabs into the factory. As a result of these violent attacks fourteen workers suffered serious injuries to their heads, arms, and legs. One striking worker (who was three months pregnant) miscarried after being chased by a PEZA police officer attempting to confiscate her camera. Since the strike, Chong Won management and PEZA officials have attempted to further break the strike by setting up a phoney union in the factory, dubbed the “Caretaker Committee”, and continuously harass the peaceful protestors that continue to hold the picket line. Chong Won management is now trying to illegally dismiss 117 of the peacefully striking workers and revoke their union’s registration.

Chong Won workers have repeatedly called on Wal-Mart for assistance in addressing these egregious crimes, but Wal-Mart has done nothing but wring its hands and waste the workers' time. In early November Wal-Mart began to suggest a few helpful recommendations but then quickly backtracked a few days later. Since then Wal-Mart has been exceedingly vague as to what they have even asked of Chong Won management, and while all this violence has happened Wal-Mart and Chong Won continue to do business together as usual.