PALEA holds protest as 234 members threatened with arrest

Press Release

July 27, 2012

PALEA

Some 100 members of the Philippine Airlines Employee Association (PALEA) picketed the Pasay Hall of Justice this morning as union lawyers filed a petition for the Municipal Trial Court to review the finding of “probable cause” by a fiscal. In a resolution dated June 20, 2012, the city prosecutor recommended the filing of information against 234 respondents to the case.

“Ex-President Gloria Arroyo is freed on bail by a Pasay fiscal despite arguably strong evidence of electoral sabotage while a colleague threatens 234 workers with arrest for alleged ‘economic sabotage’ on dubious grounds. PALEA’s protest at the airport last September 27, 2011 was an exercise of the constitutionally guaranteed right of workers to concerted action and thus not illegal nor criminal,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president.

Warrants of arrest may be issued against the accused even as the resolution provides for bail of Php 6,000 each or a total of Php 1,404,000. Philippine Airlines (PAL) filed the case for alleged violation of RA 9497 or the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Law, specifically Section 81 (b) (5) which sanctions “any person who destroys or seriously damages the facilities of an airport or disrupts the services of an airport”. PAL initially announced that some 300 PALEA members joined the protest action thus the respondents have been called the PALEA 300.

Rivera added that the decision has a chilling effect on labor relations and is a clear and present danger to workers rights. “Labor protests will then be banned in the aviation industry with workers penalized by both imprisonment and fine in violation of constitutionally guaranteed rights. This will be a grave precedent and new special laws can then be enacted to deny workers the freedoms of assembly, expression, self-organization and strike. But PALEA will not be cowed as our fight enters it 10^th month,” he explained.

“Early next week, we will also file a similar petition to the Department of Justice, which has jurisdiction over prosecutors, for a review of the resolution. We expect that these motions would stay the issuance of warrants of arrest,” Rivera added.

He explained that “The decision is void of any legal basis as no damages were committed to airport facilities. Moreover the case is a labor issue and thus prior authority from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Justice should have been secured prior to the filing of the complaint. The CAAP Law is also explicit in providing that ‘only the Director General’ can file the appropriate charges and not the PAL Vice-President of the Airport Services as in this case.”

Rivera further asserted that PAL services deteriorated sharply after September not because of damaged equipments but due to lack of skilled and experienced manpower after PALEA members, in opposition to outsourcing, refused to transfer to assigned service providers. PALEA insists that PAL can only “fly the flag proud” by getting its regular workers back. Supporters of PALEA are calling for a boycott of PAL and its sister company Air Philippines until the laid off workers are reinstated to their regular jobs.

ADVISORY: PALEA 300 under threat of arrest as Pasay fiscal finds probable cause in case

MEDIA ADVISORY

PALEA

WHAT: PALEA to hold picket as petition to review is filed

WHEN:  Today, July 27, 11:00 am

WHERE: Pasay Hall of Justice (near City Hall)

DETAILS: Some 100 PALEA members to join the picket as the union’s lawyers file a petition for the Municipal Trial Court to review the finding of “probable cause” by a fiscal. In a resolution dated June 20, 2012, the city prosecutor has recommended the filing of information against 234 respondents to the case.

“GMA is freed on bail by a Pasay fiscal despite arguably strong evidence of electoral sabotage while a colleague threatens 234 workers with arrest for exercising the constitutionally guaranteed right to concerted action,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president.

Philippine Airlines filed the case against PALEA members for alleged violation of RA 9497 or the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines Law, specifically Section 81 (b) (5) which sanctions “any person who destroys or seriously damages the facilities of an airport or disrupts the services of an airport”. PAL initially announced that some 300 PALEA members joined the protest action last September 27, 2011 at the airport thus the respondents have been called the PALEA 300.

Rivera added that the decision has a chilling effect on labor relations and imperils workers rights. “Any labor protest and action will then be banned in the aviation industry with workers to be penalized by both imprisonment and fine in violation of constitutionally guaranteed rights. But PALEA will not be cowed as our fight enters it 10^th month,” he explained. ###

PNoy’s SONA: Long in duration, short on its claim

Press Statement

July 24, 2012

President Benigno Aquino III’s SONA speech may have been the longest in history but it falls short on its claim of historic changes under his administration. The changes instituted are merely superficial not thoroughgoing. No social and economic reform has been implemented in the last two years and none forthcoming. PNoy even lacks the commitment to push for the Freedom of Information bill which should be a plank of his good governance advocacy.

PNoy asserts that good governance is leading to palpable improvements but only social justice will bring concrete change to ordinary peoples’ lives. Glaringly absent from the tons of numbers and data mentioned in PNoy’s SONA are statistics on poverty and hunger. It is no wonder since despite a decade of so-called GNP growth, the number of poor and hungry have remained intractable.

GNP growth only means increasing numbers of ‘Gutom Na Pilipino’ for workers and the poor. From 2003-2009 the economy grew by an average of 4.8% but the number of poor Filipinos increased from 19.8 million to 23.1 million. Poverty will not be dented no matter how many cases are filed against former president Gloria Arroyo and how many of her minions are jailed together with ex-Comelec chief Benjamin Abalos.

Regular jobs and living wages are needed not the conditional cash transfer which is a band-aid solution at best. Among the ASEAN nations, the Philippines has the most persistent incidence of poverty (defined as living on less than US$1.25 a day). We have the highest percentage of slum residents as a percent of its urban population among six Asian countries.

While the employment rate went up, as PNoy insisted, the number of underemployed—those who have work but are still seeking work—has increased from 7.6 million in April 2011 to 7.8 million in April 2012. Even as PNoy remains hardline in the struggle to bring Arroyo to justice, he is nonetheless is soft on the fight for social justice against entrenched vested interests. He was challenged and found wanting on the issue of outsourcing at Philippine Airlines which is the biggest labor dispute in the country. PNoy may have garnered the confidence of investors for the privatization projects under the Public-Private Partnerhip program, but he has earned the ire of workers for his approval of contractualization at the flag carrier.

Truly the real state of the nation is reflected in the lack of jobs, food, housing and justice for the Filipino masses. To tackle the challenges of destitution and joblessness, the anti-corruption campaign of President Aquino will not suffice. The answer lies in taking a new path of development away from the Aquinomics of privatization, contractualization and globalization.

Workers Digest: SONA 2012

“New path of development” called for in counter-SONA

Press Release

July 23, 2012

Several thousand workers will join the counter-SONA protest today to call for a “new path of development” and “alternative economics” as they insisted that poverty and unemployment has not been eradicated despite a decade of economic growth. “The anti-corruption campaign of President Aquino will not solve the problem of destitution and joblessness. The answer lies in taking a new path of development away from the Aquinomics of privatization, contractualization and globalization,” declared Renato Magtubo, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) chairperon.

Whether it rains or shines, some 1,000 members of PM are ready to join the “March for Alternative Economics” together with the labor coalition Nagkaisa (United) and the multisectoral alliances Freedom from Debt Coalition and Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay (Campaign for a Humane Life). A total of 7,000 rallyists will march for “alternative economics” starting at 1:00 pm from the corner of Luzon and Commonwealth Avenues then proceed to the Batasang Pambansa.

“It is expected that PNoy will trumpet inclusive growth under his administration. But for workers and the poor, GNP growth only means increasing numbers of ‘Gutom Na Pilipino,’” Magtubo added.

Gerry Rivera, president of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), said that “Even as PNoy garners the confidence of investors for the privatization projects under the Public-Private Partnerhip program, he has earned the ire of workers for his approval of outsourcing and contractualization at Philippine Airlines.”

Meanwhile PM echoed the criticism of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) against President Aquino for omiiting the Reproductive Health bill among his government’s priority bills and the House of Representatives for its indifference and utter disregard to the plight of poor and working women.

“This is PNoy’s third SONA and women’s mortality rate has increased to 221 per 100,000 live births in 2011 from 162 per 100,000 live births in 2009.  Besides the fact that the Philippines must lower the maternal mortality rate to 52 per 100,000 live births, the important matter is how the executive and legislative view women’s right to reproductive health care.” explained PM secretary-general Judy Ann Miranda.

“Regular job and living wages are needed not the conditional cash transfer which is a band-aid solution at best. From 2003-2009 the economy grew by an average of 4.8% but the number of poor Filipinos increased from 19.8 million to 23.1 million. Poverty will not be dented no matter how many cases are filed against former president Gloria Arroyo and how many of her minions are jailed together with ex-Comelec chief Benjamin Abalos,” Rivera stressed.

Magtubo reiterated that “Among the ASEAN nations, the Philippines have the most persistent incidence of poverty (defined as living on less than US$1.25 a day). The Philippines has the highest percentage of slum population as a percent of its urban population among six Asian countries.”

Alternatibong ekonomiya, hiling ng manggagawa sa kontra-SONA

Press Release

July 22, 2012

Libu-libong manggagawa ang lalahok sa kontra-SONA na ilulunsad ng mga grupo bukas upang hilingin ang “isang alternatibong ekonomiya” at “bagong landas ng pag-unlad.” “Ang patuloy na kahirapan ng milyun-milyong Pilipino ay di matutugunan lang ng tuwid na landas ng kontra-katiwalian. Ang kailangan ay bagong landas ng pag-unlad palayo sa pribatisasyon, kontraktwalisasyon at globalisasyon,” ani Renato Magtubo, tagapangulo ng Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Umulan man o umaraw ay nakahanda ang 1,000 kasapi ng PM upang sumanib sa “Martsa para sa Alternatibong Ekonomiya” na lalahukan ng labor coalition na Nagkaisa at multisectoral alliances na Freedom from Debt Coalition at Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay. Nasa 7,000 ang kabuuang bilang ng raliyista ang magmamartsa para sa “alternatibong ekonomiya” mula ala una

sa Luzon Ave.

corner Commonwealth Ave. tungong Batasang Pambansa.

“Inaasahan na magpapasikat si Pangulong Aquino sa SONA tungkol sa inclusive growth sa ilalim ng kanyang administrasyon. Pero para sa manggagawa at maralita, ang tanging kahulugan ng GNP growth ay dumadaming ‘Gutom Na Pilipino,’” dagdag ni Magtubo.

Paliwanag naman ni Gerry Rivera, pangulo ng PALEA, “Nakakakuha man ang pamamahala ni PNoy ng kumpyansa mula sa investors, umaani naman ng batikos mula manggagawa ang kanyang pagsang-ayon sa kontraktwalisasyon sa Philippine Airlines.”

“Regular na trabaho at sweldong nakabubuhay ang kailangan hindi CCT na pantawid-gutom lang. Mula 2003 hanggang 2009, umunlad ang ekonomiya ng humigit-kumulang 4.8% pero ang bilang ng naghihikahos na Pilipino ay lumaki pa rin mula 19.8 milyon hanggang 23.1 milyon. Hindi ito magbabago kahit pa ilang kaso ang madagdag kay Gloria Arroyo at ilan pang tauhan niya ang makulong kasama ni Abalos,” diin ni Rivera.

Workers Digest 47--SONA 2012