1,600 workers to lose jobs as Triumph shuts down

MANILA, Philippines - More than 1,600 Filipino workers of Triumph International will lose their jobs after the company announced Saturday it was closing down next month “due to the global recession and general downturn in consumer demand.”

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said Triumph International has filed a formal notice to close shop and retrench workers in August.

“We have received a notice from the Triumph management but we are still meeting with them today before we can determine if all of its total workforce of 1,600 will be retrenched or not,” Roque said in an interview.

But in a statement sent to The STAR, Triumph International confirmed it would cease manufacturing and close its distribution center operations in the Philippines as part of a global restructuring program.

But Triumph said its sales and marketing in the Philippines would continue normally and would employ 128 people in these operations.

“As part of this program, Triumph’s factories Triumph International (Philippines) Inc. and Star Performance Inc. factories in Taguig City will close; 1,605 employees at the two factories and 57 employees at the company’s head office in Makati City will lose their jobs as a result of this change effective 28th of August,” Triumph said.

Roque said Triumph would also shut down factories in Vietnam, Thailand and China.

He said he would personally visit the Triumph factory in Taguig and try to settle the disputes between the management and factory workers.

Triumph workers yesterday hanged bras and panties to dramatize their protest over the planned closure of the plants.

The workers claimed that the German multinational’s move was illegal and instead of retrenching workers, the company should just cut profit margins.

Triumph however assured retrenched employees that it would fulfill all obligations, including giving a full wage payment for the period leading up to Aug. 28 and severance pay.

Triumph also promised to help employees find new jobs with the assistance of the Department of Labor.