While supporting demand for wage hike: PALEA joins protest vs. oil price hikes

PRESS RELEASE

March 14, 2012

Locked out workers of the Philippine Airlines add their voice in calling for the government to take decisive steps in stopping relentless hikes in oil prices.

And while still battling for reinstatement after having been outsourced since October 1, 2011, members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) is also asking the government to adjust the current level of wages by granting Labor groups’ petitions for wage increase.

In a picket held at the Petron headquarters in Makati City, PALEA and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) insisted that the energy department and Malacanang must assure the public that despite movements in the international price of oil, the government has the menu of options to mitigate the impact of these price movements. 

“It is really contemptible to see energy and Palace officials getting elated with the news that there might be a 'pause' in oil price hikes this week while the fact remains that more than a decade since the oil deregulation law, the regime of higher oil prices has been pestering the lives of the masang Pinoys,” said PALEA President Gerry Rivera.

Rivera said the government must seriously consider demands for the removal of VAT on oil to mitigate the impact of oil price hikes which is expected to reach the 2008 level of P60/liter.  The government collects twelve percent in every liter of oil products.

“Raising the consumers’ capacity to buy is also an option.  Thus, a new wage order at this point in time must be issued by the government,” added Rivera. 

The group is supporting a wage increase petition filed by the TUCP at the regional wage boards as well as the bills on legislated wage hike filed in Congress by militant lawmakers.