They explained that in late 2022, the workers at Journal Square produced a letter to the Jollibee bosses demanding a wage increase of $3 an hour, better working conditions, holiday pay and other improvements. More than 90% of the workers signed the letter with these just demands.

Claiming that they were losing money, in mid-February the bosses laid off the nine workers who were the most visible organizers. The workers found out months later that they were fired to prevent them from delivering the letter in order to silence them. These same bosses refused to hear these demands on July 6 before the rally began.

In response to these unjust firings, the Jollibee workers and their allies are demanding the following: “Uphold workers’ rights to organize at all Jollibee stores; reinstate all fired workers and give them back pay and compensation for lost wages; apologize publicly for retaliating against workers for exercising their right to organize.”

The organizers of the rally stated that this will be an ongoing campaign until all nine workers are back on the job.