With an overwhelming victory in the strike vote held this July 29-30, the workers of Nexperia Philippines, Inc. led by NPIWU-NAFLU-KMU, displayed the decisiveness of the working class. The union filed the notice of strike last June 26 because of Nexperia Philippines, Inc.’s gross violations on the workers’ right to security of tenure as it unjustly terminated almost five hundred employees since last year for redundancy reasons due to automation in its production process. Nexperia management’s goal is to reach a 1:8 automation ratio and will thus continue to decrease its workforce to advance its economic objective of increasing ultra profits at the expense of workers’ rights and its bargained agreement with the union. Automation is a pressing issue for Nexperia workers, BPO employees, and workers across various industries. Transnational and multinational companies consistently utilize technological advancements in production to justify replacing workers. These capitalists boldly claim that artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over because workers lack the skills to meet unrealistically high quotas. As an article from the Business Mirror writes “…one of the several initiatives underway to get these accomplished is IBPAP’s recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) “to embed training programs designed by the IT-BPM sector into the curriculum of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for more readily employable graduates with industry-relevant skills.””
 We emphasize that the true adversary of the working class is not automation or artificial intelligence, but corporate greed. It is not the technology itself that displaces workers, but the decisions of capitalists to reduce their workforce in favor of mechanized production lines. An ethical and moral approach would ensure that technological advancements enhance workers’ quality of life by streamlining production processes and freeing them from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on quality and productivity. This strike vote highlighted three crucial realities for Filipino workers. First, under the capitalist wage system, we are all replaceable. Second, in a country heavily dependent on imperialist economies like the US, workers must unite to fight for their democratic rights. Lastly, only through collective action can workers truly have a fighting chance when their lives, rights, jobs, and everything else are on the line. The Nexperia workers’ strike is both right and just. The BPO Industry Employees Network, along with its chapters, member organizations, and individuals, fully supports them. We call on all BPO workers in the Philippines to stand in solidarity with Nexperia workers, particularly by unionizing our own industry. By coming together, we can take collective action to challenge the unfair systems in our country that weigh us down.### | 
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