Partido ng Manggagawa

PALEA testifies at Washington DC on labor rights in the Philippines

2012-01-25T14:16:00.001+08:00

Gerry Rivera meets with US flights attendants union at Washington DC

Press Release

January 25, 2012

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) president Gerry Rivera testified at Washington DC at dawn today (noon January 24 EST) on the suppression of labor rights by the Philippine government. Rivera faced-off with government officials led by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz at the hearing held by the US Trade Representative (USTR).

“PALEA presents a significant case in reviewing whether or not the Philippines have taken or taking steps to afford workers their internationally recognized rights. We submit that Philippine government has abused its power to assume jurisdiction (AJ) of strikes thereby curtailing workers’ rights to freely organize and bargain collectively. PALEA was not allowed to strike on two crucial occasions to protest the mass termination of some 2,600 workers and yet Philippine Airlines (PAL) was permitted to proceed with the layoff despite a pending case at the Court of Appeals,” Rivera argued before the USTR subcommittee on the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

This is not the first time that the government, specifically Sec. Baldoz, had to face inquiries abroad on the handling of the PAL-PALEA labor row on outsourcing and contractualization. Last December 7, Baldoz was questioned by a delegate to the International Labor Organization regional meeting in Kyoto, Japan on PALEA’s protest.

Aside from Rivera, Josua Mata of the Alliance of Progressive Labor and Brian Campbell of the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) also spoke before the hearing to corroborate PALEA’s testimony and paint the “big picture” on the state of labor rights. On the government side, Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III, Labor Undersecretary Rebecca Chato, Ambassador Jose Cuisia, Jr. and other Philippine embassy officials accompanied Baldoz.

At stake at the hearing are trade benefits accorded by the United States government to countries which it deems respects core labor rights and standards. The GSP subcommittee which held the hearing for the “review of country practices” includes representatives of the USTR, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Labor, Department of State and Department of Treasury. The Philippines was put under scrutiny based on the petition filed by the ILRF, a DC-based advocacy organization.

Rivera also met with the top union officials of the AFL-CIO and its constituent organizations to solicit support for its fight against contractualization and boycott campaign. Among those which expressed concern and solidarity was the Association of Flight Attendants which will include PALEA’s plight in its upcoming “Occufly” protest in California on February. US-based unions and Fil-Am groups are spearheading boycott campaigns in the West Coast cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Vancouver where PAL has its most profitable flights.

Rivera’s testimony came on the heels of renewed protests by PALEA yesterday. Members of PALEA together with Partido ng Manggagawa held a motorcade from the protest camp to PAL’s offices at the airport, PNB Building in

Macapagal Ave.

and Allied Bank Building in Ayala.

Watching intently PAL’s sale to new owner: PALEA welcomes Chinese new year with Ayala motorcade and impeachment rally

2012-01-24T09:24:00.000+08:00

Press Release

January 24, 2012

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) welcomed the Chinese new year with a motorcade today to highlight its call to new investors of Philippine Airlines (PAL) for the reinstatement of retrenched workers. PALEA is “watching intently” not necessarily of “welcoming enthusiastically” reports of PAL’s sale to interested investors such as Ramon Ang of SMC and Manny Pangilinan of Metro Pacific.

Nonetheless the union is hoping that a new owner may lead to a breakthrough to resolve the labor dispute. “PALEA’s fight continues in the year of the water dragon. This promises to be the year of PALEA’s return to work,” averred Bong Palad, PALEA secretary.

At 10:00 am, the PALEA motorcade left the protest camp outside the PAL In-Flight Center then proceeded to the Nichols offices onto the Allied Bank Building at Ayala where Lucio Tan holds office then the Senate for the impeachment trial and ended at the airline headquarters at the PNB building at

Macapagal Ave.

At the Senate grounds, Palad insisted that “The ‘Coronavela’ is a case of the teapot calling the kettle black and the kettle accusing the teapot it is unclean. Pnoy and Corona may be fighting over Gloria Arroyo and Hacienda Luisita but both are beholden to Lucio Tan as revealed by the plight of PALEA and the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association (FASAP).”

“Since Lucio Tan has been closed to even talking with PALEA, then any change in PAL’s management leaves open the possibility of a change in attitude to the protracted labor dispute,” Palad said. He explained that “PAL’s new owners may in the end be no different from Lucio Tan as regards its attitude to PALEA. But as it stands now, anybody but Lucio Tan is better. So in the meantime, PALEA’s fight continues and it demands of any new owner the reinstatement of retrenched workers to their regular jobs,” Palad explained.

Contrary to Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda’s view that investments by a new owner in PAL will lead to improve image, PALEA insists that only the return of the locked out skilled and experienced workers will make PAL fly again. “PAL’s operations have deteriorated not because of a lack of finances and shiny new planes but because of the ‘palpak’ service by inexperienced contractuals and scabs. It is not a refleeting but the reinstatement of PALEA members that will lead to PAL’s return to normalcy. Bring back PALEA members and PAL will soar again in three days,” Palad asserts.

He also revealed that PALEA president Gerry Rivera is set to testify on tomorrow (January 24 noon EST) at Washington DC on the repression of labor rights by the government. PALEA has been invited to the hearing by the US Trade Representative on the petition by the government for trade benefits under the GSP (general system of preferences). Countries which respect internationally core labor rights and standards receive preferential treatment from the US.

Media Advisory: PALEA motorcade and Senate picket today

2012-01-24T07:57:00.000+08:00

PALEA welcomes Chinese new year with Ayala motorcade and impeachment rally

2012-01-23T22:36:00.001+08:00

MEDIA ADVISORY

PALEA

WHAT: PALEA to hold protest motorcade and rally at impeachment trial

WHEN: Tomorrow, January 24

WHERE: Motorcade starts at PALEA protest camp (10am) proceeds to PAL Nichols offices (11am) then Allied Bank, Ayala Ave (12 noon) onto Senate (1pm) and ends at PNB Building at Macapagal Ave.

DETAILS: PALEA welcomes the Chines new year with the demand on new PAL investors for the reinstatement of retrenched workers. PALEA hopes that “year of the water dragon” is the year that its members return to their regular jobs. The union is “watching intently” and not necessarily “welcoming enthusiastically” reports of PAL’s sale to interested investors such as Ramon Ang of SMC and Manny Pangilinan of Metro Pacific.

Meanwhile PALEA president Gerry Rivera is set to testify on Wednesday (Jan. 24 noon EST) at Washington DC on the repression of labor rights by the government. PALEA has been invited to the hearing by the US Trade Representative on the petition by the government for trade benefits under the GSP (general system of preferences). Countries which the

deems as respectful of internationally core labor rights and standards receives preferential treatment.

“PALEA 300” seeks dismissal of violation of CAAP law case

2012-01-11T09:31:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

11 January 2012

PALEA

In a hearing yesterday at the Pasay Hall of Justice, members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) asked the city prosecutors to dismiss the violation of Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) law case filed by the management against them in the aftermath of the September 27, 2011 protest that crippled the operations of Philippine Airlines (PAL). In an allusion to the mythical Spartans, PALEA President Gerry Rivera declared that “The respondents to the case, the PALEA 300 are brave men and women who will die fighting instead of surrendering to tyranny by PAL.”

The PAL management alleged in its complaints that PALEA members caused the destruction of some airline equipments during their September 27 protest, a charge vehemently denied by the union. The actual respondents to the case are 258 but PAL in previous press releases has claimed that some 300 PALEA members joined the September 27 protest.

In a picket to coincide with the hearing, PALEA insisted that the case was part of the many harassment cases thrown at PALEA members after the union strongly opposed PAL’s outsourcing plan. The next hearings are scheduled for February 2 and 9.

“We eat PAL harassment cases for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” stated Rivera. He claimed that “PAL is blindly shooting nuisance cases at PALEA members in a desperate bid to force them to accept the separation package and sign up for the illegal labor contractors Sky Logistics and Sky Kitchen. Some of the 258 named respondents were active participants in protests before and after September 27 but were on day off that fateful day.”

The union asserts that no company equipment was ever damaged during the September 27 protest. Instead the union knows that it was the improper use of an airstep by an inexperienced and unskilled scab that caused an accident where an Airbus A340 with aircraft ID 3430 plane door was dented.

Rivera asserts further 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 contractualization/outsourcing, refused to transfer to assigned service providers.

“Up to now, more than three months after the outsourcing, passenger complaints of faulty services by contractual scabs working at PAL are piling up. It is therefore not the equipments but the flag carrier’s reputation that is being badly damaged,” declared Rivera.

PALEA insists that PAL’s waning reputation and deteriorating quality service can only be saved 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.

Pagbati sa Bagong Taon mula sa Partido ng Manggagawa

2011-12-31T09:49:00.000+08:00

New Year' Greetings from Philippine Airlines ground crew union PALEA

2011-12-31T09:47:00.000+08:00

PALEA to prospective new owners: End in labor row crucial for PAL takeoff

2011-12-30T08:19:00.001+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

December 29, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) expressed guarded optimism on the possibility that a change in ownership and leadership at the Philippine Airlines (PAL) may create an opportunity to end the flag carrier’s lingering labor dispute.

San Miguel Corporation has confirmed news that the conglomerate is in advance talks with PAL owner Lucio Tan for a possible buyout of the ailing flag carrier.

The ground crew union, nonetheless, maintains its assertion that whoever gets control of PAL the fact remains that the airline can only takeoff and prevent further losses by getting the 2,600 locked out regular workers back.

“Bring back PAL's regular employees and it can fly anew with pride,” declared PALEA President Gerry Rivera, as he assured the public that within days upon their reinstatement, PAL operations would be back to normal.

“As a legacy airline, PAL is about quality service – quality service that only comes from a quality workforce. The new owner/s must therefore consider this crucial human resource factor in their ongoing acquisition talks,” added Rivera.

PAL suffered heavy losses in the third and fourth quarter of this year after PALEA members opposed the company’s outsourcing/contractualization plan by refusing to transfer into assigned service providers. PALEA’s protest in September 27 has forced the airline to scale down its operations for lack of skilled manpower to operate its passenger and cargo handling operations as well as its catering services.

PALEA stressed that it is the failed outsourcing plan that pulled the flag carrier’s finances as well as its reputation down as consumer confidence is greatly affected by labor issues, low quality service and safety concerns.

Moreover, PALEA supporters from the local and international trade unions, the Church, the academe, migrants and civil society groups, have launched a successful boycott campaign -- all contributing to a significant reduction in PAL’s load factor.

Noisy camp

On December 31, the protest camp located at PAL’s In-Flight Center and Catering Services Building along

MIA Road

will be a noisy camp as PALEA members make noise to assertively and confidently greet the New Year with a call to end the labor row at PAL.

A media-noche will also be prepared at the camp similar to what PALEANs have shared during their noche-buena on Christmas Eve.

“2011 was really a turbulent year for PALEA and the entire labor movement. Yet despite the storms, our fighting spirits remain intact. We remain hopeful and we thank everyone who stood with us for keeping us strong and united,” concluded Rivera.

PALEA holiday greetings

2011-12-25T00:22:00.002+08:00

Para sa lahat ng supporters at allies

Pagbati sa Pasko

2011-12-25T00:20:00.001+08:00

Matapos ang isang Taon ng Pag-aalsa at Pakikibaka sa buong Mundo

Hope springs eternal at PALEA protest camp

2011-12-23T13:37:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

December 23, 2011

They have been out of jobs during the last three (3) months but for members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) hope springs eternal at their protest camp which they likened to the traditional “belen” that gave temporary shelter to the infant Jesus.

“Without the protest camp, PALEA members could have been wandering anywhere after being hit by the man-made tsunami of outsourcing. Had we not fought the outsourcing plan, we would have ended having separate Christmas parties at Skylogistics, Skykitchen and SPI Global,” stated PALEA President Gerry Rivera.

PALEA and their supporters in the labor movement and the Church are celebrating Christmas at their protest camp located at PAL’s In-Flight Center near Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Blessed with support

Fortunately PALEA’s protest camp is blessed with continuing local and international support. Aside from the Church-Labor Coneferece (CLC), the vibrant civil society organizations and migrant groups have joined the boycott campaign against PAL.

Today, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, director of CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action is celebrating an anticipated Misang Gabi at the camp. Pabillo, who is also the co-chair of the CLC has been very supportive of PALEA’s struggle against mass layoff and contractualization.

After the mass, the CLC, which includes different labor groups and church institutions, will share a Christmas party with PALEA members. On the 24^th and 25^th PALEA members and their families will greet Christmas at the protest camp, their first noche buena celebration done outside their homes.

Scrooge PAL

Trade unions and international labor advocacy groups across the world, have also come in full support for PALEA. Just recently, the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) has included PAL in its list of ‘scrooge corporations’. PAL joined Dole, Hershey’s and Wal-Mart in ILRF’s 2011 Working for Scrooge report (see link at http://www.laborrights.org/sites/default/files/publications-and-resources/Working_For_Scrooge_2011.pdf).

ILRF is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. It promotes enforcement of labor rights internationally through public education and mobilization, research, litigation, legislation, and collaboration with labor, government and business groups.

PAL executives admitted recently that the company incurred heavy losses at the height of the labor row and that its operations cannot get back to full normal even until next year. Its reputation was also badly hurt.

Rivera, who is also the vice-chair of Partido ng Manggagagawa (PM), is confident PALEA has a good chance of winning its fight against PAL’s outsourcing/contractualization plan.

“Of course nobody wants to celebrate Christmas the second time around here at the protest camp,” quipped Rivera.

Victims of man-made calamity: PALEA members celebrating Christmas at protest camp

2011-12-22T02:38:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

December 21, 2011

Describing themselves as ‘victims of a man-made calamity’, members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), with their supporters in the labor movement and the Church, are celebrating Christmas at their protest camp located at PAL’s In-Flight Center near Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“We could have joined the rest of our nation in the relief drive for the victims of Sendong had we not been locked out by PAL owner Lucio Tan. Unfortunately we are also victims of a man-made calamity. 2011 is indeed a very difficult year for the working class and the poor who were made to suffer from both natural and man-made calamities,” stated PALEA President Gerry Rivera.

Rivera explained that PALEA can’t do anything right now except to sympathize with the victims of Sendong, unlike before when they can easily mobilize and share their resources for victims of calamities through internal fund and relief drive.

“To sustain our fight against the wrath of corporate greed, we have also been asking for financial and logistical support from our allies here and abroad during the last three months,” added Rivera who is also the vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Continuing support

Fortunately PALEA is blessed with continuing local and international support. On December 23, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, director of CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action will be celebrating a 4:00 PM anticipated mass at PALEA’s protest camp.

Pabillo, who is also the co-chair of the Church-Labor Conference (CLC) has been very supportive of PALEA’s struggle against mass layoff and contractualization. Aside from the CLC, the vibrant civil society organizations and migrant groups have also joined the boycott campaign against PAL.

After the mass, the CLC, which includes different labor groups and church institutions, will share a Christmas party with PALEA members.

On the 24^th and 25^th PALEA members and their families will greet Christmas at the protest camp, their first noche buena celebration done outside their homes.

PAL as Scrooge

Trade unions and international labor advocacy groups across the world, have also come in full support for PALEA. Just recently, the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) has included PAL in its list of ‘scrooge corporations’. PAL joined Dole, Hershey’s and Wal-Mart in ILRF’s 2011 Working for Scrooge report (see link at http://www.laborrights.org/sites/default/files/publications-and-resources/Working_For_Scrooge_2011.pdf).

PAL is a Scrooge—international labor rights group

2011-12-21T08:18:00.000+08:00

Press Release

December 21, 2011

A Washington DC-based international labor rights watchdog has included Philippine Airlines (PAL) in its list of worst companies for the year. PAL joins giant companies Dole, Wal-Mart and Hershey in the “Scrooge list” of the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) for the “use of intimidation and sometimes violence, in the U.S. and abroad, to violate workers’ internationally recognized right to organize.”

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) welcomed PAL’s description as a Scrooge “since Lucio Tan stole Christmas from some 2,400 employees and their families.” Renato Magtubo, PM chair, said that “PAL has been naughty not nice to its workers so Santa did not grant its wish of a profitable year.” PAL has announced that it will end the year with losses to due its failed outsourcing plan and high fuel prices.

In its report, ILRF explained that “Some of this year’s Scrooges, such as Dole and Wal-Mart, are repeat offenders—giant corporations that refuse to uphold their responsibility to their direct employees and to workers in their supply chains. Hershey receives Scrooge status for the first time—an accolade long overdue—as the chapter exposes an ongoing pattern of the company’s neglect of workers’ rights and refusal to be more accountable to workers in its supply chain. The case of Philippine Airlines illustrates an increasingly common trend among corporations, the flexibilization of work, and how when workers protest against outsourcing, they are locked-out and fired.”

“This holiday season corporate greed at PAL is shining through,” the ILRF report asserted. The group is supporting PALEA by calling on the public to boycott PAL and its sister low-cost carrier Air

Philippines

until the workers are reinstated to their regular jobs.

“The right to freedom of association is typically violated through the use of bullying tactics and the spread of anti-union propaganda but this year’s Scrooges have taken violating workers’ rights to new lows. As we celebrate the holiday season, consumers and labor advocates can support workers by telling these Scrooge companies that they need to respect workers rights,” said Judy Gearhart, ILRF Executive Director.

Magtubo declared that “The Philippines is not on the right track but off course as far as labor rights is concerned.” The ILRF Scrooge list follows on the heels of a critical report issued last month by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) regarding the observance of core labor standards in the Philippines which also mentions the case of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) as substantiation. The global union body said that “In view of restrictions on the trade union rights of workers, discrimination, child labour, and forced labour, determined measures are needed to comply with the commitments” of the Philippines to international treaties.

The ILRF report Working for Scrooge is can be viewed online at http://www.laborrights.org/scrooges2011. The ITUC report is posted at is posted at http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/wto_review.pdf.

PALEA gets backing of Occupy protesters

2011-12-16T00:41:00.000+08:00

Press Release

December 16, 2011

PALEA

Just as truck drivers and longshore workers got the support of Occupy rallyists in the US, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) received the solidarity of Occupy protesters in Canada. Occupy Toronto activists together with Canadian airline unions held a solidarity action at the Toronto international airport last December 10. Last Tuesday various ports along the West Coast such as Oakland, Los Angeles and Portland were shutdown by community pickets of Occupy protesters with the support of port workers who refused to cross the picketlines. As is the practice in Occupy protests, the Toronto rally was called a “general assembly” and speeches were “echoed” by the participants.

The series of solidarity actions for PALEA continued with a picket at the Tokyo office of Philippine Airlines (PAL) by Japanese railway workers last December 12. On December 14 another rally was held at the Philippine consulate in Melbourne that was attended by PALEA vice president Alnem Pretencio, the head of the two million-strong Australian Council of Trade Unions Geraldine Kearney and leaders of the Australian Services Union which represents airline workers including Qantas, Maritime Union of Australia, Victorian Trades Hall Council and Australia Asia Worker Links.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of the Partido ng Manggagawa, said that “We salute the Occupy shutdown of the West Coast ports to demand justice for truck drivers and longshore workers. The fight for better pay, job security and union rights is a common struggle of port workers, airline employees and workers around the world. PALEA stands shoulder to shoulder with Occupy protesters.”

The latest series of solidarity actions for PALEA is the second wave after earlier rallies staged in late October to early November in Washington DC, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Renato Magtubo, chair of PM and co-chair of the Church-Labor Conference, declared that “The latest rallies in support of PALEA are a level up from earlier actions since the call for a boycott of Lucio Tan-owned PAL and Air Philippines are explicitly expressed. The widespread boycott campaign will hurt PAL since the regional flights to Australia and Japan, and the transpacific flights to the US are among its most profitable operations.” He added that “The fact that PAL is having a promo during the Christmas peak season belies its claims that its operations are back to normal.”

Rivera claimed that “The convergence between the youth-led Occupy protests and the workers struggles for wages, jobs and rights is a welcome development. Social change will come from the unity and action of the 99%.”

For a video of the Toronto action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV8lFtTCo7Q

For photos of the Melbourne action: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.283439828375106.80352.100001272721169&type=1&l=94715c3e50

For photos of the Tokyo action: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.282035501848872.80162.100001272721169&type=1&l=adb20681a6

Labor rights under P-Noy: Large gap between declared policy and implementation

2011-12-11T16:47:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE
10 December 2011
A large gap between declared policies and implementation characterize the conduct of the present administration in upholding the constitutional mandate of providing full protection to labor, the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) said in a statement as the country celebrates the International Human Rights Day.

PM chair Renato Magtubo find the current state of labor rights “very depressing” under the present administration as "P-Noy is all talk but zero achievement in upholding labor rights.”

Magtubo pointed out that when P-Noy assumed office in July last year, he carried with him a 22-Point Labor & Agenda with a declared policy in promoting employment and upholding labor rights. The agenda has an an over-arching goal of “investing in our country’s top resource, our human resource, to make us more competitive and employable while promoting industrial peace based on social justice.”

The labor leader explained that Item No. 3 of the said Agenda aims “to promote not only the constitutionally protected rights of workers but also their right to participate in the policymaking processes”, while Item No. 7 seeks “to align our country’s labor policies with international treaties and ILO conventions in a sound and realistic manner.”
Asked Magtubo: “Where is P-Noy now after declaring those big words 17 months ago? Where is P-Noy now after Lucio Tan locked out the 2,600 workers of PAL who were fighting for their constitutionally guaranteed rights? Where is industrial peace based on social justice? ”

The labor group added that even the recent Conference of the International Labor Organization (ILO) held in Kyoto reminded both businesses and governments to prioritize long-term over short term employment. The ILO’s Decent Work Framework which promotes equal opportunity and gainful employment was adopted by the Philippine government several years ago.

“Yet P-Noy’s labor secretary Rosalinda Baldoz who was present at the conference and who decided in favour of Lucio Tan in the PAL case, defended the outsourcing and contractualization as a necessary policy,” lamented Magtubo,

The former partylist representative said the PAL issue had become a litmus test to P-Noy and this unresolved issue of social justice will continue to hound his administration whose popularity is mainly bolstered by a populist campaign on anti-corruption.

PALEA takes fight to Australia and Canada

2011-12-08T20:04:00.002+08:00

PALEA VP Alnem Pretencio meeting ASU airlines delegates (Photo courtesy of ASU)

PALEA VP meeting with ASU organizers (Photo courtesy of ASU)

Press Release

December 8, 2011

PALEA

The embattled Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) is taking its fight against the outsourcing and contractualization plan of Philippine Airlines to Australia and

Canada

. The vice president of PALEA, Alnem Pretencio, is in

Australia

now on a tour sponsored by unions with the aim of soliciting international support.

This coming Saturday (Eastern Standard Time), Canadian unions and groups together with the Filipino community will hold a demonstration at the Toronto international airport in solidarity with PALEA. Toronto hosts the biggest population of immigrant Filipinos in

Canada

.

Meanwhile yesterday Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz was questioned by a delegate in the ILO regional meeting in Kyoto, Japan about the government's handling of the PALEA labor dispute. The challenge to Baldoz is an expression of the snowballing international support for PALEA.

Aside from expressing for PALEA’s demand for immediate reinstatement, the Canadian groups will be disseminating information about the boycott campaign against PAL and Air

Philippines

, both owned by Lucio Tan. Yesterday representatives of various civil society organizations of migrants, students and NGO’s held a press conference to call for “Don’t fly PAL and AirPhil” and denounced Tan as “a Grinch who stole Christmas from some 2,600 PAL employees.”

On its second day of the tour, Pretencio had already met with bus, tram and train unions in Melbourne. Also he is scheduled to meet with airport workers represented by the Australian Services Union (ASU), the Qantas aircraft engineers union ALAEA and the Qantas ground crew union TWU. More meetings are planned in the weekend and next week including with the militant Maritime Union of Australia. Pretencio’s tour was held in coordination with the Australia-Asia Workers Links and ASU.

In Toronto, the airport workers represented by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), Canadian Union of Public Employees and the International Association of Machinists took the lead in organizing the rally for PALEA. Activists of the Occupy Toronto are also slated to participate in the solidarity action.

Among the reasons for the warm reception received by Pretencio in

Australia

is the solidarity shown by PALEA for the Qantas workers who are in a similar dispute with management over outsourcing, job security and pay. PALEA has twice picketed the Qantas office in Makati during the lockout in November 1 and as part of the global day of action for Qantas families last November 16.

The support by Canadian unions does not end with the Toronto rally. Early next year, the groups are planning to hold a similar solidarity action in the Vancouver international airport. CAW has vowed to make an active boycott campaign in the Vancouver since PAL operates flights to and from the international airport.

“Don’t Fly PAL, AirPhil” campaign snowballs

2011-12-08T00:07:00.000+08:00

NEWS RELEASE
07 December 2011

MANILA, Philippines – This Christmas break, don’t fly airlines owned by the “Grinch.”

As thousands of riding public prepare for the Christmas season, various sectors have joined together in calling a boycott of Lucio Tan’s Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines in solidarity with the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA).

In a press conference, migrant groups, student councils and organizations, NGOs and international organizations have joined the bandwagon in supporting the “Don’t Fly PAL/AirPhil” campaign.

“Because of his greed, Lucio Tan has stolen Christmas of retrenched PAL workers. He acts like the true Grinch,” said Ricardo Reyes, president of Freedom from Debt Coalition.

Created by Dr. Seuss, the Grinch is a fictional character who first appeared as the main protagonist in the 1957 children's book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Now, it is a term used to describe a person with a coarse and greedy attitude and opposed to Christmas time celebrations.

“It is almost Christmas time – our great Kapaskuhan, a time for families, friends, neighbors, and loved ones to gather, celebrate and share blessings with one another. But not for 2,600 of our kababayan PAL employees and their families who until now face the uncertainty of a prolonged deadlock due to Lucio Tan’s refusal to sit down with PALEA and address their just demands,” said Reyes.

“We are urging the riding public, particularly the students, government and private workers and OFWs to support the members of PALEA in their struggle against the mass lay-off, contractualization, and their fight to protect their job security. PALEA’s fight is also our fight. As riding customers, we can best support PALEA by hitting Lucio Tan where he hurts most – by not flying PAL and AirPhil, until he sits down with PALEA and address their just demands,” he said.

Agnes Matienzo of Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA): "In support of the 2,600 PALEA members who are unilaterally locked out and terminated by PAL, MFA continues to call on our fellow OFWs and partners/affiliates in over 16 countries in Asia not to fly PAL this Christmas unless Lucio Tan sits with PALEA and address their demands. PALEA members’ fight is our fight. As migrants’ advocate, we demand host countries to respect the right of our workers overseas to unionize and demand for just wages and job security. How do we expect destination countries to respect and protect the rights of our workers, if the rights of our local workers are blatantly violated? We shall never accept that the rights of our local workers are violated. The interest of 10 million OFWs and the interest of 2,600 PALEA members are one and the same. Boycott PAL and stop corporate greed!"

Shaina Santiago, Asian Institute of Tourism (AIT) representative to the UP Diliman Student Council, said that contractualization, as a labor policy, is a threat not only to the current labor force, but also to the students who are future workers.

Max De Mesa, chairperson of Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), said: “PAL workers are co-creators of the wealth of the company. Thus, not only should the quality of life of workers rightfully and proportionately improve as the company develops and grows – this is a collective aspect of the right to development. More important, they should be integral to the company itself. The owner’s and management’s decision to outsource as part of its overall contractualization plan is to deceptively cut-off its co-creators of corporate wealth under the false basis of ‘financial losses.’ This is corporate callousness. They have disjointed themselves from the same humanity as their workers so as to accrue profits primarily for themselves. The vaunted plan of separation benefits is no more than a ruse to distract from the truth of corporate greed and the deprivation of workers’ rights."

Francis Lunag of the Urban Missionaries said that the contractualization of workers at PAL violates the dignity of human person. He said they will convince other priests, nuns, and even the bishops to not fly via the flag-carrier. “We will distribute flyers to our parishioners, put posters in front of our churches, and continue our support for the ‘Don’t Fly PAL/AirPhil’ campaign until this issue is resolved and benefits both parties.”

May-i Fabros of WomanHealth Philippines expressed empathy with the retrenched workers and encouraged Filipino women, especially those managing the household budget , not to consider PAL and Air Philippines on their travel arrangements.

National pride

FDC’s Reyes said that aside from corporate greed, union busting, human rights violations, labor code violations and compromised safety and service, another important reason why the Filipino people must boycott Lucio Tan’s airlines is what is at stake in the dispute.

“What is at stake here is our national pride, our identity with this institution called PAL. Despite the Government’s decision to privatize PAL, we all grew up knowing that it is our nation’s flag carrier, our symbol in the sky, our representative in global aviation. We take pride in the excellent ability of its pilots and ground crew to provide safe and comfortable air travel and to respond effectively during emergencies and unexpected mishaps. Now this national symbolism is heavily tainted by a bare-faced and shameless oppression of our very own Filipino workers,” said Reyes.

Snowballing support

Aside from FDC, MFA, PAHRA, Urban Missionaries and WomanHealth Philippines, other groups supporting the Boycott PAL/Airphil campaign are the following:

Migrant groups – Center for Migrant Advocacy (CMA) – Philippines, DIWATA-Philippine Women’s Network in Greece, Kanlungan Migrant Center, and Unity of Filipino Migrants in Greece;

Student groups – KAISA – UP Diliman, CRUSADA – Ateneo de Manila University, Alliance of Progressive Students – EARIST, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), Kalayaan! Lihok Mag-aaram – UP Tacloban, Magkaisa-CSSP, UP Organization of Human Rights Advocates (OHRA), UP Alyansa, ARISE, Buklod-CSSP, PALS-NCPAG, START-AIT, UST Central Student Council, DLSU-CSB Student Council, UP Diliman AIT Student Council, UP Diliman CHE Student Council, Bukluran Student Alliance – PLM, Akbayan Youth, Sanlakas Youth, Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan (SDK), and Youth for Nationalism and Democracy (YND);

Civil Society Organizations – Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF), Active Citizenship Foundation, Assalam Bangsamoro, Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms (IPER), Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD) and Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ);
International organizations – International Transport Workers Federation, Jubilee South-APMDD, and Coalition against the Trafficking of Women-Asia/Pacific (CATW-AP).

PM: Philippines off course regarding labor rights

2011-12-06T18:36:00.000+08:00

Press Release

December 6, 2011

Days before the commemoration of International Human Rights Day, the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) called the attention of the government to the critical report issued by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) regarding the observance of core labor standards in the Philippines. “The Philippines is not on the right track but off course as far as labor rights is concerned,” declared Renato Magtubo, PM chair.

The global union body said that “In view of restrictions on the trade union rights of workers, discrimination, child labour, and forced labour, determined measures are needed to comply with the commitments” of the country to the World Trade Organization and the International Labor Organization.

Magtubo said that “The ITUC report is a wake up call to PNoy and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz that rhetoric is far from reality. The violations of core labor standards detailed in the report are in stark contrast to the avowed aim of the administration to align our country’s labor policies with international treaties and ILO conventions.”

The critique was contained in the ITUC REPORT FOR THE WTO GENERAL COUNCIL REVIEW OF THE TRADE POLICIES OF PHILIPPINES (Geneva, 22 and 24 November 2011) which is posted at http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/wto_review.pdf.

Magtubo insisted that “Among the damning conclusions reached by the ITUC is that union rights are restricted in law and practice.” He quoted from the report that “There is an environment of violence and intimidation against trade unions. Employers and state authorities make use of anti-union practices in order to curb unions' rights.”

The ITUC report also rapped the Aquino administration for its decision to allow the outsourcing plan of Philippine Airlines. The report asserted that “The increasing replacement of long-term employment contracts with subcontracted or contractual labor curtails union membership.” To support this conclusion, the report cited that “Another example of the increasing contractualisation of employment is PAL… In February 2011, PAL announced $15.1 million profits and one month later, the government gave the company permission to continue with its outsourcing plan.”

“The ITUC report further confirms the accusation of labor groups that labor rights in general and union organizing in particular is severely constrained in the export procession zones,” Magtubo averred. He again quoted from the ITUC report that “When a union is organized the management of the special economic zones (EPZs) or individual companies file lawsuits to frighten union leaders or threaten that they will file for bankruptcy. This was the case of the garment producer, Alta Mode Inc, in the Mactan EPZ II in Lapu-Lapu City.”

Solidarity Message to SITIAPES from PALEA

2011-12-04T10:25:00.000+08:00

December 4, 2011

We extend the hand of solidarity to our brothers and sisters in the Union of Employees and Allied Workers of the El Salvador Airport (SITIAPES) who are fighting for union recognition, collective bargaining rights, decent pay, better working conditions and protection of job security. The struggles you are waging mirror the same demands that we are currently fighting for at Philippine Airlines, the flag carrier of our country.

PALEA supports the campaign by SITIAPES and its sister unions, SITEAIES and SIGTRASEL, for the immediate reinstatement of the fired workers of AERODESPACHOS. We support your demands in the hope that international support can put pressure on AERODESPACHOS so it will heed workers demands.

PALEA condemns the intransigence of AERODESPACHOS, its anti-union maneuver, refusal to recognize the union, opposition to bargaining negotiations and termination of workers active in union organizing.

The same issues animate the struggles that PALEA is facing at the moment. Some 2,400 PALEA members have been locked out and terminated as part of a plan to outsource the airport services, inflight catering and call center reservations departments of Philippine Airlines. Majority of those affected are in the ramp, baggage, cargo and passenger handling aside from inflight catering. PALEA represents these workers and the remaining 900 ground staff of Philippine Airlines.

In fact as can bee seen from the number that were retrenched and those remaining, the outsourcing plan seeks not just to demolish job security but bust the union itself. In fact the outsourcing plan came on the heels of a 13-year suspension of the collective bargaining negotiations with PALEA which was forced on the union through government intervention.

To resist the imminent implementation of the outsourcing plan, on September 27 PALEA undertook a protest at the Manila International Airport that paralyzed the operations of Philippine Airlines. The swift answer of the government and management was the forcible eviction of protesting PALEA members from the airport and other offices using police forces and security guards. PALEA members have been locked out since and then terminated starting October 1.

At present PALEA protest camps are set up outside the international airports of Manila and Cebu, the two biggest cities in the Philippines. Every day several hundred PALEA members are alternating in shifts to maintain the protest camps until the workers demands are heeded.

PALEA demands that Philippine Airlines stop the lockout of workers and allow those terminated to go back to their regular jobs. We know that this is a difficult battle but through the solidarity of the workers movement in our country and even abroad, we will prevail.

Further we are inspired by the struggles for labor rights and social justice of fellow aviation workers such as yours in El Salvador and by general strikes around the globe such as that in Greece and Portugal recently.

Sincerely,

(signed)

Gerry Rivera

President, Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA)

Vice Chair, Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party-Philippines)

Vice Chair, Ground Staff Committee of Aviation Section, ITF

International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) solidarity campaign for PALEA:

http://www.itfglobal.org/itfaviationblog/?p=1783

Online petition in support of PALEA:

http://www.change.org/petitions/fight-corporate-greed-support-locked-out-workers-boycott-philippine-airlines

Diskontento ng manggagawa kay P-Noy, ihahayag sa araw ni Bonifacio

2011-11-30T13:58:00.000+08:00

Press Release
November 30, 2011

Diskontento at pagkadismaya sa administrasyong Aquino ang ihahayag ng mga manggagawa sa araw ng bayani ng uri na si Gat Andres Bonifacio. Mula sa Mehan Garden sa Maynila ay magmamartsa patungong Mendiola ang mga myembro ng Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) at Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) para sumanib sa iba pang grupo ng manggagawa sa ilalim ng Koalisyon Kontra Kontraktwalisasyon (Kontra).

Dala ng PM at PALEA ang kahilingan na ibasura ang patakarang kontraktwalisasyon na ginawang ligal at unlimited ni P-Noy, at ibalik sa trabaho ang mga tinanggal na manggagawa sa PAL. Kasama rin sa kanilang kinokondena ang corporate greed na sya umanong dahilan sa paglawak pa ng inekwalidad
sa Pilipinas.

Elitistang hustisya

Ayon kay Renato Magtubo, tagapangulo ng PM, mananatiling elitista ang konsepto ng hustisya sa bansa hangga’t walang proteksyon ang mga manggagawa mula sa pang-aabuso ng kapital at hayaan lang ng gubyerno na umalagwa ang corporate greed sa bansa.

Dapat lang umanong papanagutin si Gloria sa mga kasalanang nagawa sa bansa, pero di rin dapat palagpasin
ang malawak na inhustisya na nararanasan ng milyun-milyong manggagawa mula sa kamay ng mga may
kontrol sa buhay nila - ang mga kapitalista.

Dagdag pa ni Magtubo, laganap pa rin ang kahirapan at inekwalidad sa bansa dahil hanggang ngayon ay hindi
makaalpas ang 99% ng masang Pinoy sa pagsasamantala ng 1% o nang iilang may kontrol sa kanilang buhay.
Ang ganito rin umanong sitwasyon ang dahilan kung bakit sa loob ng mahigit 300 taon ay hindi umunlad ang
Pilipinas dahil sakmal ito ng kolonyalistang Espanol, sa pakikipagkutsabahan ng mga ilustrado, habang ang
masang Pinoy ay walang tinatamasang karapatan.

Nangangamba ang dating partylist representative na sa harap ng lumalalang krisis sa ekonomiya, lalo pang
ilalaglag ni P-Noy ang karapatan ng mga manggagawa gaya nang ginawa nito sa PAL, mapagbigyan lang ang
dating Marcos crony, suporter ni Gloria, at ikalawang pinakamayamang tao sa Pilipinas na si Lucio Tan.

Boycott PAL

Kasabay ng pagdiriwang sa ika-148 na kaarawan ni Andres Bonifacio ang pinaigting na kampanya ng mga unyon at simbahan para boykotin ang PAL hanggat hindi naibabalik ang mga myembro ng PALEA.
Sa susunod na araw ay nakatakda na ring magtipon ang mga civil society groups para plantsahin ang mga
hakbang para paigtingin pa ang kampanyang boykot ng PAL hanggang sa international community.
Nagpasalamat naman si PALEA president Gerry Rivera sa walang sawang pagsuporta ng ibat-ibang samahan sa laban ng PALEA.

Sinabi ni Rivera na hindi nila isusuko ang kanilang laban dahil kapag nagtagumpay umano si Lucio Tan sa kanyang outsourcing plan, hindi lang 2,600 kundi milyun-milyong manggagawang Pinoy ang maghihirap sa ilalim ng patakarang kontraktwalisasyon.

Matapos ang programa sa Mendiola ay magsasagawa ng motorcade ang mga mangagagawa patungong Coastal Mall kung saan magmamartsa ulit ang mga ito papunta sa protest camp ng PALEA para sa isa pang programa.

PALEA, coco farmers hold solidarity human chain at protest camp

2011-11-28T14:54:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

28 November 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) has offered protesting coconut farmers from Quezon solidarity and an overnight stay at its protest camp at NAIA Terminal 2.

The coconut farmers have embarked on 160-kilometer march from Lucena City in Quezon to Manila to demand the return to farmers of billions of pesos in allegedly stolen coconut levy funds collected during the martial law years.

The march, which started on Thursday with some 100 farmers, is expected to arrive at PALEA’s protest camp before 6:00 PM. A solidarity human chain with PALEA will be held upon their arrival at the protest camp.

“We wish to welcome our coconut farmers to our protest camp. Since we occupied this place on September 27, this camp has become our protest camp, the protest camp of the 99% who are fighting for social justice,” said PALEA president Gerry Rivera.

Rivera said coconut farmers and PALEA members share a common struggle against government neglect as well as the capitalist greed of the country’s two most famous Marcos cronies, Lucio Tan and Danding Cojuangco.

“Coconut farmers were denied a share from their own coco levy fund. PALEA members on the other hand were denied the right to live a life of dignity when they rejected Lucio Tan’s contractualization plan,” added Rivera.

PALEA had been occupying PAL’s In-Flight Center along

MIA Road

for two months after they were locked out by the management on October 1. Rivera said they will not give up the camp until the PAL outsourcing plan is scrapped and PALEA members win their regular jobs back.

Labor and peasant groups are expected to join forces for the November 30 (Bonifacio Day) rallies. After a noon rally at Mendiola on November 30, the protesters will hold a motorcade to the PALEA protest camp for another program and mass outside the PAL In-Flight Center.

Tado mag-eemcee sa concert para sa PALEA

2011-11-26T03:49:00.000+08:00

Press Release

November 26, 2011

PALEA

Si Tado Jimenez na mas kilala sa simpleng pangalang Tado ay mag-eemcee ng isang solidarity concert para sa PALEA mamayang gabi. Ang concert sa protest camp ng PALEA sa may

MIA Road

ay bilang paghahanda din sa darating na pagkilos ng mga manggagawa sa Araw ni Bonifacio sa Miyerkules.

“SuporTADO ko ang PALEA. Ang laban ng PALEA ay laban ng lahat, kasama ako,” sigaw ni Tado. Bukod kay Tado, marami nang artista, sikat at di kilala, ang bumisita sa protest camp at nakikiisa sa laban ng PALEA laban sa kontraktwalisasyon. Ilan sa naunang pumunta sa picketline ay si Sandy Andolong at May Paner o mas kilalang Juana Change.

Ilan sa bandang tutugtog ay Outsource Band, Makuri Makuru, Milky Summer, Mary's Palm, Suicidal Genius, OG Sacred at LTNS. Ang kantahan mamaya ay tinatawag na “Concert for the 99%: A Solidarity Night for the Workers and the Poor.” Ang katawagang 99% ay pinasikat ng

Occupy Wall Street

movement sa Amerika at tumutukoy sa malaking mayorya ng mamamayan na naghihirap sa kabila ng karangyaan ng iilan o ng 1%.

Hindi rin ito ang unang pagkakataon na magkakaroon ng concert sa protest camp sapagkat tuwing Sabado ay madalas na may bands na sumusuporta sa pamamagitan ng pagkanta at pagtatanghal. Noong Oktubre ay mga members ng grupong Dakila ang nag-concert sa kabila ng malakas na buhos ng ulan.

Ang temang 99% din ang mensaheng ipapabatid ng pagkilos sa Nobyembre 30. Libu-libong manggagawa nag magrarali sa Mendiola nang tanghali bago mag-motorcade papuntang protest camp ng PALEA sa hapon.

Labor rights group lead global boycott of PAL

2011-11-25T13:41:00.000+08:00

Press Release

November 25, 2011

PALEA

The Washington DC-based group International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) yesterday led the global call for a boycott of Lucio Tan-owned Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Air Philippines (AirPhil) in support of the embattled Philippine Airlines Employees Association. ILRF is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide.

ILRF is calling on its network of labor groups, civil society organizations and the general public to boycott PAL and AirPhil until the locked-out PALEA members are reinstated to their regular jobs. “We welcome the boycott call as a form of solidarity for PALEA. It will put pressure on PAL and the government which both remain deaf to the demands and plight of PAL employees. The unity of the 99% both here and abroad will be the key to winning the fight against the outsourcing scheme of Lucio Tan who represents the 1%,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

The launch of the global call was timed for the start of the peak season for airline travel and PAL’s announced return to normal operations yesterday. PALEA however disputes PAL’s claims and cited recent several hours and days of delays in international flights as indicators. Rivera also asked the media investigate the results of the recently concluded US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) audit of PAL. “The results of the audit will serve to validate PALEA’s assertions that the outsourcing scheme is a failure, and that safety and service has been compromised by the untrained and overworked scabs that are now operating the flights,” he added.

ILRF is running on its website an online petition for the boycott of PAL and AirPhil (http://action.laborrights.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3183). Once the petition is signed, messages of concern about PALEA will be sent to President Benigno Aquino III, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. and PAL CEO Jaime Bautista. ILRF has also sent by email notices about the boycott campaign to thousands in its mailing list.

In its mass mailing, ILRF argues that “We know that the airlines cannot withstand a boycott. PAL and AirPhil rely on end-of-year holidays travel for their profit line. If a large enough group of us join the boycott publicly, we will have an impact.”

In response to the ILRF boycott appeal, the global union International Transport Workers Federation has forwarded a similar call with a link to the ILRF petition so recipients can sign up. The largest trade union portal in the world, Labourstart (http://labourstart.org/), has also posted an article on its site with a link to the boycott petition.

PALEA holds protest; disputes PAL’s alleged return to normalcy

2011-11-24T12:50:00.000+08:00

Press Release

November 24, 2011

PALEA

Members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) will troop to the Pasay Hall of Justice this afternoon in support of several colleagues who are charged in a civil case filed by Philippine Airlines. Judge Racquelen Vasquez of Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 116 will hear at 2:00 p.m. today PAL’s complaint in which they ask for the dismantling of the protest camp.

Today’s protest also coincides with the resumption of normal operations by PAL as per its announcement yesterday. PALEA however disputes this claim and disparages it as a “praise release.” Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and Partido ng Manggagawa vice chair, “PAL’s operations remain abnormal as exposed by the 3-day delay in a Los Angeles-Manila flight last November 17 and another seven-hour delay in a Manila-Bangkok flight last Sunday. But these are just the tip of the iceberg as most of the flight issues are unreported by the media or covered up.”

“We suggest that the media investigate the results of the recently concluded US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) audit of PAL as an indicator of the alleged normalization of operations. A third-party audit such as the FAA’s is an objective guide rather than PAL’s self-serving claims. The results of the audit will serve to validate PALEA’s assertions that the outsourcing scheme is a failure, and that safety and service has been compromised by the untrained and overworked scabs that are now operating the flights,” Rivera added.

Meanwhile PALEA remains confident that the civil case being heard by Judge Vasquez will be dismissed. “PALEA’s protest camp arose out of the labor dispute between
PAL and PALEA and thus jurisdiction properly resides in the labor no civil courts. In any case, a picketline or campout is an activity allowed by law. What is illegal is the forcible and violent dispersal of a picketline as what was attempted last October 29 by hired goons,” Rivera explained.

Seven PALEA members were injured in the daybreak attack while one of the paid goons was apprehended and confessed to the police that they were hired by management for P200.

The afternoon rally by PALEA is likewise a buildup activity for the coming November 30 protest by labor groups. Thousands of workers are expected to lead the commemoration of Bonifacio Day with a mobilization at Mendiola followed by a motorcade to the PALEA protest camp. On Saturday, a pre-November 30 concert will be held at the campout to be emceed by concerned artist and TV personality Tado Jimenez.

PALEA magpoprotesta kasabay ng diumano pagbabalik sa normal ng PAL

2011-11-24T05:56:00.000+08:00

Press Release

November 24, 2011

PALEA

Susugod sa Pasay Hall of Justice ang mga miyembro ng Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) mamayang hapon habang dinidinig ang kaso ng Philippine Airlines (PAL) laban sa protest camp ng grupo. Mamayang alas dos ay may hearing ang Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) sa hiling ng PAL na tanggalin ang protest camp na tinutulan naman ng PALEA sapagkat bahagi ito ng kanilang protesta laban sa tanggalan at kontraktwalisasyon sa kompanya.

Sumabay din ang protesta sa araw na ito na inanusyo ng PAL na pagbabalik sa normal ng kanilang operasyon. Sagot naman ng PALEA na press release lang ito sapagkat anang grupo, nananatiling abnormal ang operasyon ng PAL. Bilang patunay, binanggit ng PALEA ang 3-day delay sa isang Los Angeles-Manila flight noong Nobyembre 17 and ang seven-hour delay sa Manila-Bangkok flight nitong Linggo.

“Mas marami pang aberya ang nagagap sa operasyon ng PAL dahil sa kabiguan ng outsourcing plan at kapalpakan ng untrained at overworked na mga iskirol na nagtatrabaho kapalit ng PALEA members. Di lang ito nauulat sa media. Mungkahi namin sa media na imbestigahan ang resulta ng kakatapos lang na audit ng US Federal Aviation Authority para malaman ang katotohanan kung balik sa normal na talaga ang PAL,” paliwanag ni Gerry Rivera, pangulo ng PALEA.

Paniwala din ni Rivera na madi-dismiss ang kaso ng PAL sa Pasay RTC. “Sa isang labor dispute, normal na nagtatayo ng picketline o protest camp at kinikilala ito ng batas. Hindi ito iligal. Ang bawal ay ang pwersahan at marahas na pagbubuwag ng protest camp gaya ng sinubukang gawin ng mga upahang goons noong Oktubre 29,” ani Rivera. Pito ang nasugatan sa hanay ng PALEA habang nahuli ang isa mga umatake na umamin sa pulis na binayaran sila ng management sa halagang P200 bawat isa.

PALEA to rally at Pasay Hall of Justice amidst threats against protest camp

2011-11-23T19:50:00.000+08:00

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: PALEA to hold rally as RTC hears PAL case vs. protest camp

WHEN: Tomorrow, November 24, 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Pasay Hall of Justice at City Hall compound

DETAILS: The PALEA rally is timed for the Regional Trial Court’s hearing of the PAL civil case calling for the dismantling of the protest camp outside the In-Flight Center. The protest is also part of PALEA’s continuing vigilance against renewed threats to the camp out.

The protest also coincides with the announcement by PAL that it resumes full operations tomorrow. PALEA however insists that operations remain abnormal as revealed by recently reported incidences of a three-day delay in a Los Angeles-Manila flight and seven-hour delay in a Manila-Bangkok flight.

It’s the 99%, not Gloria, who are the real victims of injustice in this country

2011-11-16T14:42:00.001+08:00

Press Release

November 16, 2011

The Partido ng Mangagawa (PM) today said it is the 99% and not former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who are the real victims of tyranny and injustice in this country. Members of PM and the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) held a 2:00 p.m. rally at the Our Lady of the Airways Parish at the corner of Sucat Road and MIA Road to air their sentiments on the alleged escape of the Arroyos.

Earlier today the groups also joined running priest Fr. Robert Reyes in a picket at the Supreme Court, a day after the high tribunal allowed the former President, who is facing criminal charges, to seek medical treatment abroad. They brought placards which read: “Itlog ni Topacio ibigay kay PNoy para tumindig vs Lucio Tan,” “Panagutin si GMA sa pagnanakaw, pandaraya at pagsisinungaling. Panagutin si PNoy sa pang-aapi sa manggagawa,” “Wag patakasin si GMA sa pagkakasala sa bayan. Wag patakasin si PNoy sa pagkakasala sa manggagawa ng PAL.”

“Gloria was merely banned from leaving the country for a while, whereas thousands of PAL workers and several millions of contractuals, unemployed and underemployed out there are being denied the right to live decent lives,” stated PALEA president and PM vice chair Gerry Rivera.

Renato Magtubo, PM national chair, agreed with the position of DoJ Secretary Leila De Lima in invoking a judicial process available to all, in this case a motion for reconsideration, to take its course before Gloria is finally allowed to travel and seek medical treatment abroad. He said that “The Pinoy Bonnie and Clyde should not be allowed to escape from facing cases of stealing, cheating and lying. They will not get any sympathy from oppressed workers in their attempt to fly out of the country and out of reach of justice.”

“As to PAL’s implementation of its outsourcing plan we stand by our position that outsourcing should not be implemented while the case remains pending before the Court of Appeals,” said Rivera.

Unfortunately thousands of PAL workers were thrown out of work since October 1, 2011 when De Lima’s boss, President Benigno Aquino, allowed Lucio Tan to proceed in firing 2,600 its regular employees and outsource their jobs to third party service providers in clear violation of the Constitution, the Labor Code and international conventions.

The only difference between the two cases, Magtubo added, is that PAL’s outsourcing was motivated by corporate greed while Gloria’s bid was a desperate attempt to escape looming imprisonment.

“Indeed, the country’s justice system is more ill than the ailing Gloria,” concluded Magtubo.

PALEA joins Global Day of Action for Qantas workers

2011-11-16T08:27:00.002+08:00

Press Release

November 16, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) picketed the Qantas office and Australian embassy in a show of solidarity for the embattled workers of the Australian flag carrier. “We extend the hand of solidarity to our brothers and sisters at Qantas who are for fighting for job security, decent pay and better working conditions. The struggles they are waging mirror the same demands that we are currently fighting for at PAL,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Members of PALEA picketed the Qantas office at a building in Paseo de Roxas in Legaspi Village, Makati by 11:00 a.m. After holding a short program and chanting slogans in support of Qantas workers, the group then proceeded to the Australian embassy in the RCBC Plaza along

Ayala Ave.

The picket is in response to the Global Day of Action for Qantas employees who are facing an intransigent management bent on outsourcing and union busting. The International Transport Workers Federation, a global union federation of some 5 million workers in 155 countries, called the day of action.

Earlier today, PALEA joined Fr. Robert Reyes and other groups in a prayer rally at the Supreme Court in protest at the temporary restraining order issued against the hold order against former President Gloria Arroyo and her husband Mike Arroyo. “The Arroyos are not getting any sympathy from workers in their attempt to escape the cases of plunder and electoral fraud. It is not the Arroyos but the workers, the 99%, who are victims of injustice by the government,” Rivera explained.

In Makati, the PALEA protesters shouted “Ang laban ng Qantas ay laban ng PALEA. We are all Qantas workers.” Rivera explained that “PALEA condemns the drive by Qantas to slash labor costs, undercut labor standards and weaken job security, all in the name of competitiveness. This is a mere myth as Qantas top management has taken salary hikes while forcing sacrifices on workers.”

The Australian labor court lifted the unprecedented Qantas lockout last October 29 and gave the three Qantas unions and management 21 days to negotiate an agreement before the issue is submitted for arbitration. “The global day of action will give the Qantas unions leverage in its bargaining with management. We are saying to Qantas that the workers of the world are supporting their employees in their demands for pay and job security guarantees,” Rivera argued.

The Qantas union Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) had expressed solidarity for PALEA after some 2,400 its members were retrenched as part of a controversial outsourcing scheme that has been slammed as “a bid to demolish job security and also bust the union.”

Blacklisted PALEA member returns from US, rejoins protest

2011-11-12T12:54:00.004+08:00

Press Release

November 12, 2011

PALEA

A member of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) who was refused boarding by Philippine Airlines (PAL) for allegedly being on a “blacklist” of protesting employees, returned from the United States today and vowed to rejoin the fight against contractualization. Belle Savellano and her family arrived from Taipei on an Eva Airways flight around noon today. Last November 6, PAL denied to fly Savellano and six members of her family despite holding tickets for the Los Angeles-Manila flight.

“It is good to be back home even after the petty persecution I experienced at the hands of PAL. My husband and children who should have been at work and school early this week, and even my 80-year mother suffered from PAL’s harassment of its protesting employees,” stated Savellano.

Meanwhile PALEA welcomed Savellano back to the protest. “Belle will be warmly received by her PALEA colleagues in the protest camp. Unfortunately, further harassment awaits Belle as the threat to disperse the campout continues to this day. A few days ago, PAL filed criminal charges against the PALEA 41 just to bully them into accepting the separation package and applying as contractuals in the service providers,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Yesterday the PALEA campout was the scene of renewed tension as a firetruck and scores of police accompanied a shuttle bus of PAL that went inside the In-Flight Center (IFC). But no untoward incident happened as PALEA members simply watched the bus arrive and depart from the compound.

PALEA has been questioning PAL’s insistence in operating the IFC since its in-flight catering and airport services have already been closed down. Rivera asserts that “Evidently PAL will allow Sky Logistics and Sky Kitchen use of the IFC which means the service providers are nothing but illegal labor-only contractors.”

Representatives from PM-USA and Filipino-American groups BANTAY Pilipinas-Los Angeles, Alliance Philippines and Echo Park Community Coalition earlier called on the public especially Filipino-Americans to boycott PAL as the groups condemned the harassment tactics of the company against PALEA members.

Savellano, a PALEA member who worked for PAL for more than 28 years, is one of some 2,400 employees locked out after PALEA’s protest last September 27. Savellano and family flew to the US on October 19 to visit their relatives in San Diego using her employee travel benefit that was approved before the lock out. On October 23, PAL issued a memo that renders Savellano’s return ticket useless.

The Fil-Am groups vowed to increase its efforts to campaign for the boycott of PAL until the flag carrier has heeded the demands of PALEA for the return to their regular jobs. They believe that the fight against corporate greed is exemplified in the struggle of PALEA. They jointly declared that “The oppression of PALEA is a reflection of the plight of ordinary workers all over the world. We have to fight back as we are all PALEAns!”

PALEA says criminal charges against 41 members is just another harassment

2011-11-10T11:40:00.000+08:00

Press Release

November 10, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) declared that the criminal charges filed by Philippine Airlines (PAL) against 41 of its members are just part of the continuing harassment of its peaceful protest camp. “PAL is using the courts to bully our members in to submission. The filing of charges left and right is meant to coerce PALEA members to avail of separation package and to apply as contractuals in Sky Logistics and Sky Kitchen which are gravely in need of the trained expertise of these workers,” announced Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

PALEA is confident that similar to the dismissal of PAL’s motion for a temporary restraining order against the campout by Pasay Judge Maria Rosario Ragasa, the criminal charges will also be found without merit. “All the incidents at the protest camp arose out of and involve the labor dispute between PAL and PALEA and thus jurisdiction properly resides in the National Labor Relations Commission or the Labor Department,” Rivera explained.

He argued that “The big question is: Why is PAL trying to operate the In-Flight Center (IFC) when its in-flight catering and airport services have already been closed down? Evidently PAL will allow Sky Logistics and Sky Kitchen use of the IFC which means the service providers are nothing but illegal labor-only contractors.”

Rivera also described the incident involving the PAL truck that attempted to leave the PAL In-Flight Center last October 29 as “a diversionary tactic while hired goons attacked the protest camp.” Rivera added that “The PAL truck tried to leave the compound accompanied by a phalanx of security guard in full riot gear. But despite their overwhelming number vis-avis a handful of PALEA members, the PAL guards retreated when the attack on the other end of the protest camp was already proceeding.”

He recounted that “At around 5:45 am, some 40 hired goons attacked the PALEA protest camp while women and children were still sleeping. Armed with long sticks and stones, the goons destroyed tents in half of the campout and injured seven PALEA members in the violent daybreak. One of the goons was apprehended and confessed in a sworn testimony to the police that they were paid by management. In a new outsourcing scheme, PAL had employed the services of a goons-provider to undertake the dispersal attempt.”

PALEA is asking the public to “Look at the complete picture. Be a critical judge.”

PALEA member in Los Angeles cry harassment by PAL, PM-USA vows support

2011-11-10T10:32:00.002+08:00

Press Release

November 10, 2011

A member of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) is crying harassment by Philippine Airlines (PAL) for being refused boarding on a flight back to Manila from Los Angeles. Belle Savellano, PALEA members and PAL employee for 28 years, was not allowed to board the PAL LAX-MNL flight last November 6 for being allegedly on “blacklist of PALEA members.”

[Link to video clip of LAX incident: http://youtu.be/VakfsiiQtjg]

“We need to go back to the Philippines since my husband should have gone back to work last November 8 and my children also should have started school on the same day. Also my 80-year mother wants to be reunited with her relatives. My family is suffering because of what PAL is doing,” Savellano explained.

Ian Seruelo, liaison officer of PM-USA who is assisting Savellano in her fight, asserted that “We believe this petty persecution is meant to force Savellano to accept the separation offer and sign up for the service provider which is desperately in need of skilled and experienced workers from PALEA. But Savellano refuses to be a scab and is one with the 2,000 PALEA members who have defied the outsourcing plan.”

Seruelo together with representatives of Filipino-American groups BANTAY Pilipinas-Los Angeles, Alliance Philippines and Echo Park Community Coalition accompanied Savellano to the Los Angeles airport last Sunday. The groups also issued an appeal for Filipino-Americans to boycott PAL.

Savellano and family flew to the US on October 19 to visit their relatives in San Diego using her employee travel benefit that was approved before the lock out. On October 23, PAL supposedly issued an “internal memo” that renders Savellano’s return ticket useless.

“We condemn the violence and other harassment tactics employed by PAL against PALEA. Last October 29, goons hired by PAL attacked the PALEA protest camp. Now, PAL issued a memo unjustly rescinding the earned travel benefits of these employees. Clearly all of these are meant to harass protesting workers. We call on the public to continue supporting the struggle of PALEA for decent jobs,” Seruelo insisted.

PALEA calls on House LaborCom to probe attack on protest camp

2011-11-09T10:42:00.000+08:00

Press Release

November 9, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) called on the House of Representatives Labor Committee (LaborCom) to investigate the daybreak attack by alleged hired goons on its protest camp which resulted in injuries to seven of its members and the death of a bystander. “We appeal to the LaborCom to inquire into the culpability of Philippine Airlines (PAL) in the attack in the interest of formulating policy reforms to protect workers right to peaceably assemble. Despite its vehement denials, PAL is the only party with a vested interest in having the campout dismantled,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Congress just resumed its session yesterday and was in recess when the attack on the PALEA campout occurred last October 29. In its last hearing on the PAL-PALEA labor dispute, the LaborCom issued a summons to PAL owner Lucio Tan to attend and answer questions. Malacanang also ordered the Department of Labor and Employment to probe attack on the protest camp.

“In pursuit of its continuing investigation of the PAL-PALEA dispute, the LaborCom should look into the character of the service providers Sky Logistics and Sky Kitchen. PAL’s insistence on ingress and egress rights at the In-Flight Center (IFC) raises legitimate questions that these supposed independent companies are actually dummy agencies engaged in illegal labor-only contracting. PAL should have no more need for the IFC since it announced that it has closed down and outsourced the airport services, call center reservations and catering departments. Unless it is allowing Sky Logistics and Sky Kitchen use of the facilities of the IFC as PALEA has initially documented,” Rivera expounded.

PALEA is calling on the LaborCom to recommended reforms in Labor Code such as an anti-scab law and restriction on the free ingress and egress of strike-bound companies. “Violence inevitably breaks out when capitalists insists on using its facilities and employing scabs amidst strikes and disputes,” Rivera added.

He insisted that “PAL is trying to turn the tables on PALEA and crying harassment when facts point to their responsibility in the attack. The LaborCom can also ask a certain Johnny dela Cruz, one of the goons who was apprehended by PALEA members and then turned over to the police, to testify. He already made a sworn testimony to the police that they were paid to disperse the campout. Dela Cruz used the term management as the mastermind of the attack. Apparently PAL outsourced the dispersal to a goons-provider.”

PALEA has vowed to defend its protest camp in the face of continuing threats of dispersal. The union has also declared that its occupation of the IFC perimeter is a contribution to global movement against corporate greed and corruption.

Fil-Am groups call for boycott as PAL refuses to fly PALEA member and family

2011-11-08T09:22:00.000+08:00

Representatives from Partido ng Manggagawa-USA and Filipino-American groups BANTAY Pilipinas-Los Angeles, Alliance Philippines and Echo Park Community Coalition called on the public especially Filipino-Americans to boycott Philippine Airlines (PAL) as the groups condemned the harassment tactics of the company against members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA). Last November 6 (US time), PAL refused to board a PALEA member and her family despite holding tickets for the Los Angeles-Manila flight because she was supposedly on “blacklist of PALEA members.”

“We condemn, in harshest terms, the violence and other harassment tactics employed by PAL against PALEA. Just last week, a gang of goons hired by PAL violently attacked the PALEA protest camp. Now, PAL issued a memo unjustly rescinding the earned travel benefits of these employees. Clearly all of these are meant to harass protesting workers. We call on the public to continue supporting the struggle of PALEA for decent jobs,” asserted Ian Seruelo, PM’s liaison officer in the US.

Members of the Fil-Am groups accompanied PALEA member Belle Savellano to the Los Angeles airport last Sunday as she and her family tried but was refused to be boarded on a flight back to the Philippines. “We need to go back to the Philippines since my husband has to go back to work on November 8 and my children also starts school on the same day. My family is suffering because of what PAL is doing,” she said of the urgency of her case.

Savellano, a PALEA member who worked for PAL for more than 28 years, is one of some 2,400 employees locked out after their protest last September 27. Savellano and family flew to the US on October 19 to visit their relatives in San Diego using her travel benefit that was approved before the lock out. On October 23, PAL issued a memo that renders Savellano’s return ticket useless.

“PAL’s action is shameless. Not only is it engaged in violating the rights of these workers to collective bargaining and decent employment but now it is even engaged in tactics intended to trample upon the freedom of these workers to be heard and their fundamental right to express their legitimate grievances. We appeal to everyone especially to our Filipino brothers and sisters to boycott PAL!” added Jerry Esguerra of BANTAY Pilipinas-LA.

“We are here today to support Belle from this obvious effort to bully her and her family. Allowing Belle and family to fly to the US last October 19 using her travel benefits and then disallowing them to use the same tickets to return to the Philippines is plain sabotage and harassment. In the very first place, PALEA employees are deserving of these benefit as they already worked for and earned these benefits,” said Art Garcia of Alliance Philippines.

Reaction to Malacanang's assurance re PALEA's picketline

2011-11-04T11:47:00.000+08:00

Statement by Gerry Rivera
PALEA President

We welcome Malacanang's assurance on the security of our protest camp but PALEA demands protection of its members job security. We challenge the government to make good on this promise because there is renewed threat on the campout since PAL has been asked to vacate its makeshift catering operations at the Nichols hangar. PAL will not stop attempting to disperse PALEA's protest camp at the In-Flight Center since its supposed service providers are illegal labor-only contractors which do not have its own facility.

We appreciate the government's rebuff of PAL and employers organizations' claims of harassment by PALEA but we call for reforms in the administration's policy on contractualization. PNoy may have heeded the voice of the 99% instead of the 1% this time but his hands-off policy on the PAL dispute contrasts with the Australian government's swift action on the Qantas lockout.

Ikatlong araw na Lakbay-Hustisya ng PALEA, sinamahan ng ibat-ibang grupo sa Mendiola

2011-11-04T09:55:00.000+08:00

Press Release
November 4, 2011
PALEA

Sinamahan ngayon patungong palasyo ng Malakanyang ng ibat-ibang labor groups sa ilalim ng Koalisyon Kontra Kontraktwalisasyon (Kontra), mga istudyante at iba pang grupo ang ika-3 at huling araw ng isinasagawa nilang “Lakbay-Hustisya”.

Sa Mendiola ay hihilingin nila kay Pangulong Aquino na bawiin nito ang pag-endorso sa planong oustsourcing at kontraktwalisasyon ni Lucio Tan sa PAL at ibalik sa trabaho ang 2,600 sinibak na empleyado nito.

Ayon kay Gerry Rivera, tagapangulo ng PALEA, matagumpay nilang naidaos ang kanilang 3-araw na paglalakbay para sa hustisya dahil nakita mismo ng kanilang mga myembro kang malawak ng suporta sa kanilang laban, na kabaliktaran umano sa sitwasyon ng PAL na kapwa kapitalista at mga bulok na opisyal lang ng guberyno ang sumusuporta.

“Nanawagan kami sa publiko na suportahan ang aming laban at mainit nila kaming tinanggap. Nanawagan naman ng suporta ang PAL sa mga employers sa ilalim ng ECOP at sila naman ay pinaunlakan. Malinaw na ang labanan ngayon ay isa nang ‘class war’ sa pagitan ng 1% at 99%,” ani Rivera.

Habang nagaganap ang Lakbay-Hustisya ay patuloy naman ang pagdating ng internayunal na suporta sa PALEA. Ang pinakahuli ay mula sa Central Unica Dos Trabalhadores (CUT), ang pinakamalaking trade union center sa

Brazil

, at mula sa International Liason Committee ng mga manggagawa sa France. Magkakaroon naman ng piket sa New York ang mga Filam at ilang unyon sa

Aabangan umano ng lahat ang susunod na hakbang ng Malacanang kung ang patuloy nitong susuportahan ay si Lucio Tan na dating kroni ni Marcos, suporter ni Gloria, at bigtime tax evader, o ang 99% ng manggagawa at maralita na naghahanap ng hustisya sa pang-aabuso at pagsasamantala ng mga kapitalista.

Matapos ang rali sa Mendiola ay tutulak pa ang “Lakbay-Hustisya” sa tanggapan ng PAL sa PNB Building sa Roxas Boulevard para sa pagpapatuloy ng protesta at mula dito ay magmamartsa na pabalik sa kanilang protest camp kung saan sasalubungin sila ng kanilang mga kasamahan.

Lakbay-Hustisya gains support from workers and students on last day, ends in big protest at the PALEA campout

2011-11-04T08:41:00.001+08:00

Press Release

November 4, 2011

PALEA

The Lakbay-Hustisya of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) garnered support from workers and students on the last leg of the three-day protest. It then ended in a big rally at the PALEA campout in MIA Road by late afternoon.

“We appreciate the warm support that we got from fellow workers, students and kababayans who we met in the three-day Lakbay-Hustisya. While Philippine Airlines asked for and got the assistance of employers organization, PALEA appealed to and received the solidarity of ordinary Filipinos. PAL is supported by the 1% but the 99% is in solidarity with PALEA,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

The march was met this morning at UST in Manila by various workers groups under the Koalisyon Kontra Koalisyon (KONTRA). Later in the afternoon, volunteers from the College of St. Benilde-La Salle welcomed the Lakbay-Hustisya and distributed water to the marchers as it passed Taft Ave.

From UST, the Lakbay-Hustisya marchers and the KONTRA labor contingent marched to Mendiola for a noontime rally. KONTRA is calling on the government to intervene in the labor dispute so the retrenched PALEA members can return to their regular jobs.

Renato Magtubo, PM chair, lambasted Malacanang’s announcement that they will keep a hands-off policy in the labor row. “While PNoy prefers to turn a blind eye to the escalating dispute, workers are getting injured and killed with the two dispersal attempts on the PALEA protest camp. While the Labor Department supposedly conducts an investigation, PAL continues to harass the campout by purposely putting rotting on the adjacent walls and gates aside from blaring loud noise. Contrast the inaction of the government to the PAL labor row with the Australian government’s rapid intervention in the Qantas lockout,” he explained.

PALEA is appealing for support from students as the second semester opens in the coming days. Yesterday, a forum on PALEA was held at the Holy Trinity Parish attended by some 500 high school students including teachers, parents, lay and community leaders. Several student organizations already launched a “Don’t fly PAL during the sembreak” campaign last October in solidarity with PALEA.

After the College of St. Benilde “salubong,” the Lakbay-Hustisya proceeded to the PNB Building in Macapagal Ave. where PAL holds its administrative offices. PAL employees on their 3:00 pm break participated in short program at the PNB driveway. At 5:00 pm, another “salubong”’ was staged as PALEA members in the campout met the Lakbay-Hustisya marchers in a big rally. The rally culminated in a 6:00 pm mass at MIA Road.

Solidarity to Occupy Oakland General Strike

2011-11-04T07:29:00.001+08:00

To the Occupy Oakland protesters:

We express our solidarity with the Oakland general strike on November 2 especially the blockade of the Port of Oakland. The general strike and port blockade will reveal the truth that the 99% creates the wealth that the 1% now monopolizes. Such forms of mass actions will also show the way forward for the occupy protest movement now surging in the US and other countries.

We likewise salute the Occupy Oakland protesters who bravely faced violent eviction last October 25 even as we condemn the police for their brutal attack.

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the union of the ground staff of Philippine Airlines, and Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party-Philippines), the independent party of the working class in the Philippines, stand shoulder to shoulder with the Occupy Oakland protesters. We too struggle against corporate greed and capitalist globalization with its destructive impact on the workers and the youth. Truly the movement against corporate greed and capitalist globalization is international in scope.

More than a thousand PALEA members are presently occupying areas outside the international airports of Manila and Cebu, the two biggest cities in the

Philippines

, for a month now since the company locked out and terminated some 2,400 employees. The layoffs are part of an outsourcing scheme that aimed to downgrade us into contract workers which we have been fighting against for the last two years.

Two weeks ago a court sheriff accompanied by hired goons of the company attempted to disperse the picketline in Manila. The resistance of PALEA members forced them to retreat. And then last Saturday, scores of hired goons launched a daybreak attack on PALEA’s occupation camp while many, including women and children, were still asleep. Half of the campout was destroyed and several protesters were hurt but the dispersal attempt masterminding by the company was repelled. In less than a day the occupation camp was wholly rebuilt.

We have vowed to defend our occupation. PALEA’s struggle is inspired by the Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Oakland protests and our fight is part of the global movement against corporate greed and capitalist globalization.

On November 2, PALEA and its supporters started a three-day “long march” around several cities to bring the campaign against corporate greed and capitalist globalization to the working class communities and areas. The Oakland general strike and port blockade will be an inspiration to our “long march” protest.

PALEA pickets Lucio Tan house on 2nd day of Lakbay-Hustisya

2011-11-03T11:26:00.002+08:00

Press Release

November 3, 2011

PALEA

On the second day of its Lakbay-Hustisya, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) and labor groups Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and Alliance of Progressive Labor joined forces in a picket at one of Lucio Tan’s residences. Hundreds of protesters marched from Quiapo Church where they spent the night to Tan’s house at the back of Sto. Domino Church in Quezon City where they had a “tanghaliang tuyo” or boodle lunch to illustrate the contrast between the life of retrenched workers and the second richest Filipino.

“The 99% came on foot to a mansion of the 99% to symbolize the wide gap between the rich and poor. Philippine Airlines earned P3 billion in net income last year but terminated 2,400 workers as part of a scheme to bust PALEA and increase profit,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

Meanwhile PALEA slammed Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics as illegal labor only contractors. “These supposed independent service providers cannot operate without using PAL’s facilities such as the In-Flight Center (IFC). This has been exposed by PAL’s failed attempts to disperse the protest camp and its desperate plea for help from employers’ organizations. PAL itself has admitted in tweeter messages that it served lunch boxes on its flights since Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics are unable to use the IFC,” Rivera explained.

He added that “In contrast to PAL’s call for help from fellow capitalists, PALEA is seeking support from ordinary workers and the people. This is a battle between the 1% and the 99%, between corporate greed and human need.”

After the boodle lunch at Tan’s house, the Lakbay-Hustisya proceeded to the office of the National Labor Relations Commission where PALEA has a pending appeal on its complaint against PAL’s refusal to bargain. Later the marchers went to Welcome Rotonda by 5:00 p.m. for a short program to broadcast its advocacy against labor contractualization and corporate greed.

The protesters then marched on to the Holy Trinity Parish in Balic Balic, Manila where they celebrated a mass with Fr. Eric Adoviso and then spent the night. Tomorrow, the last day of the Lakbay-Hustisya, PALEA together with a coalition of labor groups will have a rally at Mendiola.

Labor groups plan to lambast the government’s inaction on the PAL labor row even as its turns violent with the recent attack on the campout which saw seven PALEA members hurt and a bystander killed. “There must be decisive intervention from the government instead of feel-good statements and an inutile investigation. Contrast the Aquino administration’s inaction to the Australian government’s rapid intervention in the Qantas dispute’’ insisted Renato Magtubo, PM chair.

PALEA walks for justice as PAL calls for open class war vs protesting workers

2011-11-02T12:01:00.003+08:00

Lakbay-Hustisya passing by Pasay RTC

PRESS RELEASE

November 2, 2011

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and their supporters have embarked on a three-day “Lakbay-Hustisya” (walk for justice) beginning today as Philippine Airlines (PAL) intensifies its media campaign to hide its culpability for the violent daybreak attack by its hired goons on PALEA’s protest camp last Saturday which left one bystander dead and eight protesters injured.

“Since the Saturday attack PAL had been inventing stories that serve as smokescreen to its bungled attempt to break our protest camp. And when nobody bought the storyline that PALEA orchestrated the attack against itself, the PAL management called on business groups to join the fray and support its declaration of class war against PALEA and the entire labor movement which are all opposed to contractualization policy,” stated PALEA president Gerry Rivera.

Rivera, who is also the vice president of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), said the “Lakbay-Hustisya” is PALEA’s own way of generating support from the public in winning back their regular jobs. “This is indeed a class war and under this condition workers have no recourse but to fight back,” added Rivera.

According to Ginalyn Licayan, head of PALEA’s Women Committee and in charge of the preparations for the ‘Lakbay-Hustisya’, another objective of their three-day journey is to seek out justice from what they suffered at the hands of PAL and government officials.

From their protest camp along MIA Road, PALEA members begin walking around 9:00 AM to their first destination, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court where PAL’s petition for PALEA to vacate the protest camp is still pending. At the nearby Pasay City Jail, a certain Johnny de la Cruz, a hired goon whom they have apprehended last Saturday, is facing criminal charges for participating in that violent attack on PALEA’s protest camp.

From Pasay RTC, the group proceeded to the PAL offices at the nearby PNB Building for an indignation rally against the company’s relentless attack against its workers. PAL, the union said, “is no more the country’s pride but the carrier of the worst kind of corporate greed and injustice.”

After PAL, the protesters walked towards Malate Church where they were served free lunch by parish officials. The Church, organized labor and human rights groups shared the view that once Lucio Tan succeeds with its outsourcing/contractualization scheme, everybody’s job will be next.

From Malate Church, the protesters proceeded to the Court of Appeals where PALEAs petition for certiorari against PAL’s outsourcing plan is pending. PALEA likewise held a short program at the nearby PAL ticketing office along

UN Avenue

before proceeding to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to denounce labor officials for approving Lucio Tan’s deplorable outsourcing plan.

After DOLE, PALEA was offered free dinner and overnight stay at the Benedict Hall of Quiapo Church. In the morning of November 3, PALEA will march to Welcome Rotonda and then to Lucio Tan’s compound at Biak na Bato in Quezon City. A ‘boodle lunch’ between PALEA and its supporters will be held in front of Lucio Tan’s residence to show the contrast between corporate greed and the injustice being suffered by his workers.

From Lucio Tan’s residence, PALEA members will proceed to the nearby National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) where they have appealed the case against PAL’s refusal to bargain. From NLRC they will march back to Welcome Rotonda, and then to the Holy Trinity Church for a dinner and overnight stay.

In the morning of November 4, they will be joined by other labor groups in a march towards Mendiola. At Mendiola, the protesters will be asking President Aquino to reverse its decision of PAL’s outsourcing plan and cause the reinstatement with full rights of the 2,600 employees dismissed and locked out by PAL since October 1, 2011.

PALEA

PM slams PAL’s “call for an alliance of the 1% vs. the 99%”

2011-11-02T11:54:00.003+08:00

Press Release

November 2, 2011

Partido ng Manggagawa

Contact Renato Magtubo @ 09178532905

PM slams PAL’s “call for an alliance of the 1% vs. the 99%”

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) slammed the call of Philippine Airlines (PAL) for support from employers’ organizations as “an unholy alliance of the 1% vs. the 99%.” Meanwhile the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) announced that it is readying its own charges against those responsible for the daybreak attack on its protest camp last Saturday which resulted in injuries to seven of its members and the death of a bystander.

“PAL’s Halloween appeal for help is a call for the forces of darkness to unite against the forces of good. In tagging PALEA’s protest camp as harassment, PAL wants to subvert labor rights in favor of property rights. Lucio Tan wants a return to the Marcos dictatorship when cronies ruled with impunity over the workers and the people. In contrast to PAL, PALEA is asking for support from workers and the people—the 99%—through a Lakbay-Hustisya,” asserted Renato Magtubo, chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

PALEA has already filed a criminal compliant against a certain Johnny dela Cruz, one the alleged hired goons who was apprehended during the attack. PALEA is now consulting with its lawyers on another case against the purported mastermind of the attack. Dela Cruz had signed a sworn statement to the police that he was paid together with others to disperse PALEA’s campout.

Around 500 PALEA and PM members proceeded this morning to the Pasay city jail where dela Cruz is detained and the offices of the Regional Trial Court as it begins the three-day Lakbay-Hustisya. The long march around Metro Manila aims to bring the advocacy against contractualization to the grassroots level. The “Lakbay-Hustisya” will pass by parishes and communities in Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Paranaque and Pasay as part of PALEA’s campaign to garner the support of ordinary Filipinos in the fight for regular jobs.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair added that “What is behind PAL’s insistence on its property rights over the In-Flight Center? Why does PAL want to operate the IFC when it has declared that the airport services, call center reservations and catering departments have been closed? If Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics need the IFC then these are illegal labor-only contractors not independent service providers.”

Meanwhile PM challenged the government for “decisive action instead of comforting words” in the wake of its call for sobriety. “Workers are getting killed and hurt while PNoy turns a blind eye to the escalating violence foisted on PALEA. Contrast this administration’s inaction to the Australian government’s swift intervention in the Qantas lockout,” Magtubo insisted.

Today the Lakbay-Hustisya marchers will also go to PAL’s offices at the PNB Building in

Macapagal Ave.

, Malate Church, PAL ticketing office in Faura, the Court of Appeals, the Department of Labor and Employment and then Quiapo Church where they will spend the night.

PALEA readying own charges vs. attackers

2011-11-01T14:19:00.008+08:00

Press Release

November 1, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) declared that they are readying their own charges against those responsible for the daybreak attack on its protest camp even as it dismissed a Philippine Airlines (PAL) announcement that it will file complaints against union members. “PAL is trying to divert attention from its culpability in the violent daybreak attack on the PALEA protest camp which led to the death of one bystander and injuries to seven of our members. Apparently PAL’s best defense is offense,” insisted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

A criminal complaint had already been filed against a certain Johnny dela Cruz, one the alleged hired goons who was apprehended by PALEA members during the attack. PALEA is now consulting with its lawyers on another case against the purported mastermind of the attack. Dela Cruz had signed a sworn statement to the police that he was paid together with others to dismantle PALEA’s campout.

PALEA also reacted to Malacanang’s call for sobriety. “It is not comforting words but swift action that will resolve the labor row. Workers are getting killed and hurt while PNoy turns a blind eye to the escalating violence foisted on PALEA. Contrast this administration’s inaction to the Australian government’s swift intervention in the Qantas lockout.”

News reports quoted PAL as saying that it is readying charges against people who blocked a catering truck from leaving the In-Flight Center (IFC). “It is PAL’s habit to threaten its workers in a futile effort at intimidation. They threatened administrative cases against employees for joining mass actions and they said they will file an illegal strike charge but none come of it,” Rivera added.

He added that “PAL could only invent the lamest excuse—that PALEA foisted the attack on its own campout. Unfortunately for PAL and its outsourced goons-provider, one of the attackers was caught and gave some damning admission. But the bigger question that people should ask is this: Why does PAL want the IFC to operate when it has declared that the airport services, call center reservations and catering departments have been closed? If Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics need the IFC then these are illegal labor-only contractors not independent service providers.”

Meanwhile PALEA members sacrificed the traditional visit to deceased family members and instead guarded the campout which has been the subject of two failed dispersal attempts. Today they lighted candles and made a makeshift coffin to symbolize the continuing protests against outsourcing and contractualization at PAL and the rest of the world.

Tomorrow PALEA will embark on a three-day “Lakbay-Hustisya” or long march around Metro Manila in order to bring its campaign against contractualization to the grassroots level. The “Lakbay-Hustisya” will pass by parishes and communities in Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Paranaque and Pasay as part of PALEA’s aim to garner the support of ordinary Filipinos in the fight for regular jobs.

PALEA, PM picket Qantas office, Oz embassy in support of Qantas workers

2011-10-31T11:34:00.001+08:00

Press Release

October 31, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) picketed the Qantas office and Australian embassy in a show of solidarity for the embattled workers of the Australian flag carrier. “We extend the hand of solidarity to our brothers and sisters who are for fighting for job security, decent pay and better working conditions. The struggles they are waging mirror the same demands that we are currently fighting for at PAL,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

Some 50 members of PALEA and PM held picketed the Qantas office at a building in Paseo de Roxas in Legaspi Village, Makati by 11:00 a.m. After holding a short program and chanting slogans in support of Qantas workers, the group then proceeded to the Australian embassy in the RCBC Plaza along

Ayala Ave.

“Ang laban ng Qantas ay laban ng PALEA. We are all Qantas workers,” the protesters shouted. Rivera explained that “PALEA condemns the drive by Qantas to slash labor costs, undercut labor standards and weaken job security, all in the name of competitiveness. This is a mere myth as Qantas top management has taken salary hikes while forcing sacrifices on workers.”

Meanwhile PALEA dismissed a PAL announcement that it is readying charges against people who blocked a catering truck from leaving the In-Flight Center (IFC). “It is PAL’s habit to threaten its workers in a futile effort at intimidation. They threatened administrative cases against employees for joining mass actions and they said they will file an illegal strike charge but none come of it. But this time, the threat is also a means for PAL to divert attention from its culpability in the violent daybreak attack on the PALEA protest camp which led to the death of one bystander and injuries to seven of our members. PAL’s best defense is offense,” Rivera insisted.

PALEA and PM also criticized the Australian labor court called Fair Work Australia (FWA) for “surrendering to the lockout blackmail of Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.” In a ruling, the FWA lifted the lockout but also stopped strikes by the three Qantas unions. “Workers now have 21 days within which to negotiate with the hardline Qantas management without the leverage of strike action. In the face of intransigence by Qantas, only industrial action can force employers to heed the demands of workers,” Rivera argued.

PAL hiding behind ghost “goons-provider” to evade culpability – PM

2011-10-30T14:31:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

30 October 2011

The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) accuses the Philippine Airlines (PAL) management of hiding behind the ghost of a “goons-provider” it hired to free itself of any responsibility from the expected violent outcome of its planned clearing operation of PALEA’s protest camp.

PM’s accusation came after PAL denied any involvement from the goons’ Saturday attack on PALEA’s protest camp which resulted to the death of one bystander and physical injuries to at least eight PALEA members who valiantly defended the camp.

The labor group had been supporting PALEA in their fight against mass layoff and contractualization. It likewise accused PAL owner Lucio Tan, whom it denounces as the real economic saboteur, of using his money and influence in getting favorable decisions from all branches of government.

“The Saturday attack was well planned from the recruitment stage to the actual dispersal operations. Of course the bright minds of Estelito Mendoza won’t allow PAL President Jaime Bautista to do the actual recruitment of thugs from depressed communities. Like the service providers that were contracted out by PAL to replace its regular workers, the formation of a demolition team to break PALEA’s camp-out was likewise outsourced to a qualified goons-provider,” stated PM Secretary General Judy Ann Miranda.

Miranda disclosed that PALEA had in fact been informed by a reliable source of the possible attack, prompting the union to file a blotter at a nearby police station informing the authorities of an imminent danger, a day before the actual attack happened. (See attached copy of the blotter).

“Paid and armed with obviously supplied batons and security shields, goons did strike on Saturday. And according to witness accounts, they were being commanded by a security personnel inside a van parked along the MIA road,” said Miranda.

Miranda added, “PAL was very quick to distance itself from the incident upon learning of the bungled expedition by the goons-provider. It even blamed PALEA for a security guard’s own fault of trying to use a fire extinguisher against the protesters just to conceal its behind the scene involvement in the whole operation.”

PAL, Miranda said, should not be allowed to evade culpability from the injuries suffered by PALEA members, as well as to the death of a bystander who suffered a heart attack in the midst of the melee.

The labor group called on all concerned government agencies to conduct thorough and impartial investigations of the incident.

PALEA decries PAL’s harassment of protest camp

2011-10-30T14:12:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 30, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) decried the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) for its continuing harassment of the protest camp outside the In-Flight Center (IFC) along

MIA Road

. “Two weeks before yesterday’s daybreak attack on the PALEA campout, PAL management started engaging in dirty tricks to harass the hundreds of members staying at the camp. It began with putting containers of rotting food along the gates and walls adjacent to the campout. Then early this week, loud music was blasted from speakers inside the IFC towards the protest camp,” Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa revealed.

Rivera also slammed PAL for refusing to fly PALEA members who have already been issued tickets as part of their employee benefits before they were retrenched. “We have a member who flew to the US a week ago on a trip pass benefit but we have received a report that PAL is refusing to honor her return trip unless she signs up for the service provider. We are now consulting with our lawyers since PAL is possibly in violation of its commercial obligations under the law.” he explained.

“This petty persecution also reveals PAL’s desperate need for the skilled work of PALEA members even as it puts up a brave front that flights are normalizing under the untrained and overworked scabs now running its operations. Woe to PAL that there are now more ghosts than people riding its planes during the Halloween peak season,” Rivera exclaimed.

Rivera also argued that “Its renewed attempt to disperse PALEA’s campout is exposing PAL’s lies. PAL claims that the 2,400 PALEA members cannot be accepted back to work since the airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations departments have been closed and outsourced. So how come PAL insists that the IFC which houses the catering department is essential to its operations? This bolsters our contention that Sky Kitchen is an illegal labor-only contractor and thus PAL needs to allow it access to the facilities of the IFC so it can provide catering service.”

PALEA has already complained to the concerned barangay officials. “PAL’s dirty trick against the protest camp is not just endangering the safety and health of PALEA members but also the residents of the nearby community of Baltao. The odious odor, swarm of flies and loud noise are a health hazard to everyone within hundreds of meters. In fact it even imperils PAL’s own security guards who are forced to cover their noses and possibly wear ear plugs as they have no choice but to follow management orders,” Rivera asserted.

PALEA has already rebuilt the tents destroyed in yesterday’s attack by “hired goons” as confirmed by one the attackers who was caught. “Despite it being the eve of the day the dead, the forces of good overcame the forces of darkness, workers unity defeated corporate greed. As we earlier vowed, PALEA will defend its ‘occupy protest’ camp,” Rivera insisted.

PM condemns PAL for employing hired goons to break PALEA protest camp

2011-10-29T13:26:00.001+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

29 October 2011

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) condemned the daybreak attack carried out today by hired goons believed to be employed by the Philippine Airlines (PAL) to break PALEA’s protest camp.

At around 5:45 this morning, some 40 hired goons armed with long sticks and led by someone with a handgun entered the back entrance of PALEA’s protest camp while most protesters were still sleeping and started tearing down tents prompting PALEA members to fight back. The attack was effectively repelled but four (4) PALEA members were hurt during the scuffle and three (3) tents were destroyed. PALEAns were able to apprehend one of the hired goons who was brought to a nearby police station for appropriate legal action.

“This is the second time that PAL carried out a failed attempt to break PALEA’s picketline. And we see more attacks coming as PAL desperately wanted the protest camp cleared to show the world that everything is normal at Terminal 2. Unfortunately Lucio Tan’s failed outsourcing/contractualization scheme can’t be hidden and on the contrary, is getting more indignation from the public,” said PM secretary general Judy Ann Miranda.

At 11:00 am, hundreds of PALEA members held an indignation rally against the dispersal attempt. Miranda also scored Malacanang and labor officials for allowing these things to happen as if harassment and intimidation are normal things that can be carried out by owners of capital against labor’s legitimate protest.

“On the eve of Halloween, the bad spirits of greedy corporations are haunting the workers. This is the second time that PAL has attempted to disperse PALEA’s campout but they are getting more brazen,” exclaimed Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

“We heard about ‘all out justice’ from PNoy in response to the Basilan hostilities. But we haven’t heard about ‘labor justice’ in relation to the ongoing class war between PALEA and Lucio Tan. Was it because in this class war PNoy had taken the side of Lucio Tan?,” lamented Miranda.

The labor group reiterated its call for President Aquino to cause the reinstatement with full rights of the 2,600 employees locked out by PAL on October 1, 2011.

“There is no ‘all out justice’ without labor justice,” adds Miranda.

PALoween protest

The attack was carried out this morning while PALEAns start their day preparing for their “PALoween Protest”.

The “PALoween Protest” is their way of celebrating the Halloween season in the protest camp. After the indignation rally this morning, ‘ghosts’ of regular workers wandered along MIA Road looking for their lost jobs and constitutional rights. A PALoween program follows inside the protest camp in the afternoon followed by a PALoween music jam in the evening.

The attack on PALEA’s camp out came just hours after a string of solidarity actions for PALEA in three in the

United States

. US unions and Filipino-American organizations participated in the pickets at the Philippine consulates in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.

US unions, Fil-Am community stages solidarity actions for PALEA

2011-10-28T11:25:00.010+08:00

Press Release

October 28, 2011

PALEA

Labor unions and the Filipino-American community staged a picket at the Philippine consulate and ticketing office of Philippine Airlines (PAL) this morning (noon of October 27 in San Francisco, California) in support of the Philippine Airline Employees’ Association (PALEA). A delegation met Philippine Deputy Consul General Alfonso Ver and submitted a letter of concern to regarding the plight of 2,400 PALEA members who were laid off.

Participants in the picket include leaders and members of the unions IAMAW, San Francisco Labor Council, UNITE-HERE Local 2, and NUHW and representatives from Filipino-American groups such as the Filipino Community Center, NAFCON, Alliance Philippines and Worldwide Filipino Alliance.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa, sent a message from the

Philippines

. He said that “We appreciate the solidarity of our brother and sister unionists in the US and of our kababayans in the Bay Area, especially the support of IAMAW which represents customer service agents of PAL at the San Francisco International Airport. PAL’s outsourcing plan is an example of the corporate greed that has earned the outrage of working people in the America and the world. Organized action by workers is the antidote to the organized greed of corporations.”

Later today (6:30 pm, October 27 in Los Angeles) another picket is to be held at the Philippine consulate in Los Angeles. The solidarity action in LA is led by Filipino-American groups Alliance Philippines, Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace and Bantay Pilipinas-LA. Tonight (9:00 am, October 28 in Chicago), a similar action at the Philippine consulate in Chicago will be held by UNITE-HERE and UE unions.

The protesters picketed the Philippine consulate and PAL office for an hour and distributed flyers to passersby. Among the points raised by the delegation to Consul General Ver is that in allowing the controversial outsourcing scheme, the Philippine government is possibly in violation of internationally recognized conventions protecting workers’ freedom of association, right to collective bargaining and right to peaceful concerted actions including strikes. They also expressed concern that airline service is deteriorating and passenger safety is put at risk by the untrained and overworked replacement workers who are now operating PAL flights, including the transpacific route which conveys many

nationals.

The solidarity actions in SF and LA coincided with the 30^th day of the mass termination of PAL employees, a PALEA motorcade protest around the Manila International Airport and a call by the Migrant Forum in Asia group for OFW’s to boycott PAL until it heeds the demand of PALEA for workers to return to their regular jobs.

More pictures at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=256402674412155&notif_t=video_comment#!/media/set/?set=a.256360341083055.75680.100001272721169&type=3

And also: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=256402674412155&notif_t=video_comment#!/media/set/?set=a.256365914415831.75681.100001272721169&type=3

Video at: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2505795011397

Another video: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=256402674412155&notif_t=video_comment#!/photo.php?v=256402674412155&set=vb.100001272721169&type=2&theater

PALEA holds motorcade on the 30th day of its protest vs. outsourcing

2011-10-27T14:22:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 27, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) held a motorcade around the Manila International Airport and the offices of Philippine Airlines (PAL) this morning as it entered the 30^th day of what the union claims as an “illegal lockout.” “On the 30^th day of the forcible eviction of protesting PALEA members from the airport and other offices, we remain strong in our resistance to the contractualization plan of PAL. PAL’s outsourcing scheme is a failure as shown by the continuing flight cancellations and delays,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

The motorcade started at 10:00 a.m today at PALEA’s protest camp outside the In-Flight Center along

MIA Road

and then passed by PAL’s Nichols Gate 1 and 2, Terminal 3, Terminal 2, Terminal 1 and then ended at the PNB Building at

Macapagal Ave.

A program was held at the PNB Building until 12 noon for a lunch break protest with employees there.

PALEA welcomed the support of the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) who in a press conference yesterday called for OFW’s to boycott PAL until it has heeded the demand of its workers to be accepted back to their regular jobs. MFA members from different parts of Asia attended the Asia Regional Conference on Decent Work for Domestic Workers. Rivera said that “We respect the boycott campaign of migrants and thank them for their support. Hopefully PAL will listen to the voice of its passengers who refuse to patronize a flag carrier of contractualization. PNoy should also stop using the OFW’s as an alibi for his inaction on the labor dispute.” He was referring to President Benigno Aquino’s speech at the FOCAP in which the latter said that he will not intervene on behalf of PALEA since the interests of 10 million OFW’s are a bigger priority.

Also in commemoration of PALEA’s 30^th day of protest against contractualization, solidarity actions were held in San Francisco and Los Angeles by US unions and the Filipino-American community. In San Francisco, the groups picketed the Philippine consulate and PAL ticketing office, and submitted a letter of concern to Deputy Consul General Alfonso Ver.

Among the participants in the picket are the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers which represents PAL customer service agents in the San Francisco International Airport. The delegation raised to Mr. Ver the concern that airline service is deteriorating and passenger safety is put at risk by the untrained and overworked replacement workers who are now operating PAL flights, including the transpacific route which conveys many

nationals.

In Los Angeles, Fil-Am groups Alliance Philippines, Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP) and Bantay Pilipinas-LA led the protest outside the consulate. On October 28, another picket is to be staged at the consulate in Chicago by the UNITE-HERE and UE unions, and the Filipino-American community in Illinois.

In his message to the solidarity actions in the US, Rivera said that “PAL’s outsourcing plan is an example of the corporate greed that has earned the outrage of working people in the America and the world. Organized action by workers is the antidote to the organized greed of corporations.”

PALEA holds “Run for Justice Against Corporate Greed”

2011-10-24T08:58:00.001+08:00

Press Release

October 24, 2011

PALEA

Members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) held a “Run for Justice Against Corporate Greed” this morning as part of the groups’ advocacy for regular jobs. “The Run for Justice is also inspired by the movement against corporate greed and capitalist globalization that is sweeping the world,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

The groups’ jog for a cause started at Coastal Mall, Pasay City, proceeded along MIA road and ended at the PALEA protest camp out the In-Flight Center (IFC) of Philippine Airlines (PAL). PALEA’s occupation of the perimeter of the IFC has been questioned by PAL but the union has vowed to defend its campout.

Last October 19, a court sheriff accompanied by unidentified men who have been called by PALEA as “hired goons of PAL” attempted to disperse the campout. The resistance of more than a thousand PALEA members forced them to retreat. “Just like PAL, corporate interests have tried to suppress the global protests and disperse the occupations. But the rising of the 99% cannot be stopped by the 1%,” Rivera added.

“Malacanang is just whistling in the dark when it dismisses the threat of widespread protests in the Philippine similar to Occupy Wall Street. The government’s trust in the conditional cash transfer as a means of containing social unrest is misplaced. Only structural reforms addressing the roots causes of poverty can stop the explosion of the social volcano. Already Occupy Wall Street has inspired the joining of forces of PALEA and North Triangle residents who are both fighting corporate interests,” Rivera explained.

A big protest on November 30 is being planned by a convergence of labor, urban poor and farmers groups. Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Manila Auxiliary Bishop and head of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the CBCP, is convening the meetings of the different sectoral groups.

Bishop Pabillo has proposed the formation of a social reform network in view of the rising trend of social discontent among workers, peasants and urban poor. The social reform network plans to engage government in a dialogue to tackle the problems of poverty, unemployment, contractualization, housing, agrarian reform and others.

After All Saints Day, PALEA will hold a “Lakbay-Hustisya” or a long march around Metro Manila in order to bring its campaign against contractualization to the grassroots level. The “Lakbay-Hustisya” will pass by parishes and communities in Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Paranaque and Pasay as part of PALEA’s aim to garner the support of ordinary Filipinos in the fight for regular jobs.

PALEA gets support of Qantas workers, labor groups abroad

2011-10-23T13:29:00.001+08:00

UNITE HERE@Phil. Embassy in DC

Handing letter to labor attache

Press Release

October 23, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) received the support of a Qantas labor union in Australia even as other labor groups abroad are staging solidarity actions. Similar to PALEA, Qantas workers are embroiled in a long-running dispute with management over job security, pay hikes and working conditions. Qantas flights have been disrupted by a series of strikes by Qantas engineers, ground staff and pilots.

“International support will go a long way in sustaining and winning PALEA’s fight,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Last Friday, a delegation from UNITE HERE, a union of workers in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, and airport industries in the US and Canada, delivered a letter of concern to the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC. The delegation of five from UNITE HERE met Luzviminda Padilla, a labor attaché, who indicated that the letter will be forwarded to Ambassador Jose Cuisia.

The main point raised by UNITE HERE in its letter is that the Philippine government may be in violation of internationally recognized conventions protecting workers freedom of association, right to collective bargaining and right to peaceful concerted actions including strikes. Also brought up by UNITE HERE is the concern that airline service is deteriorating and moreover passenger safety is put at risk by the untrained and overworked replacement workers who are now operating flights of Philippine Airlines (PAL), including the transpacific route which conveys many US nationals.

On October 27, members of labor unions and representatives of the Filipino-American community will picket the Philippine consulate and PAL ticketing office in San Francisco, California. The picket will be led by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers which represents PAL customer agents working in the San Francisco airport. Last October 14, a delegation of Japanese railway workers picketed the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo and also submitted a letter of concern regarding PALEA’s plight.

In its message of solidarity, the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA), which represents Qantas engineers, declared that “all ALAEA members stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with PALEA in their ongoing battle and will support them in their fight against unjust treatment. We will also fully support your efforts through the International Transport Workers Federation with the linking of all international affiliates backing your full reinstatement.”

This week PALEA will hold a “Lakbay-Hustisya” or a long march around Metro Manila in order to bring its advocacy against contractualization to the grassroots level. “We will go to parishes and communities in Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Paranaque and Pasay to seek the support of ordinary Filipinos in the fight for regular jobs,” Rivera explained.

In Cebu, thousands join synchronized candle lighting for PALEA

2011-10-22T13:34:00.000+08:00

Press Release
October 21, 2011
PALEA / KANAMASU

Emboldened by the unanimously passed resolution supporting PALEA by the NAPC (National Anti-Poverty Commission) in its recently concluded Sectoral Assembly, PALEA and its supporters organized synchronized action in five cities to show support and sympathy to the cause of PALEA.

The synchronized action was joined by thousands of supporters who lighted candles from 5:30pm to 6pm today as a symbolic gesture to enlighten society on the dark times setting on the welfare of all workers with the imminent threat of contractualization of all regular jobs.

Renante Pelino, an employee from Mactan Export Zone (MEZ) participated today’s candle lighting. “I am fed up of being a contractual worker for 8 years with cheap wages, no benefits and without protection from abuses. I identify myself with PALEA. This (contractualization) must end now for the future not just of my children but of this nation,” Pelino said.

Broad labor coalition KANAMASU or Kahugpungan sa Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Sugbo, the organizer of the said synchronized action have set-up candle lighting center in 5 cities located at the following areas:

·         Lapu – Lapu City --Tamiya Mepz II
·         Infront of GMC – Pajo
·         PALEA Protest Camp, near MCIA Checkpoint
·         Mandaue City - Maguikay Fly over
·         Hiway Seno – Jollibee
·         Cebu City – In front of Sto. Rosario Church P. Del Rosario St.
·         Gaisano Metro Colon
·         Pier 1 – ALU TUCP
·         Talisay City – Tabunok Fly over
·         Toledo City – Gaisano

Residents of urban poor communities in 5 cities likewise heeded the call for PALEA’s solidarity by lighting candles in front of their houses. Showcase of this is the whole barangay of San Roque in Cebu City wherein their own Barangay Captain will spearhead the candle lighting.

PALEA Board member Tex Bulambot said that “The outpouring of solidarity and sympathy for our fight represents the 99% of the Filipino people. They had spoken loud and clear against contractualization and outsourcing in PAL, PNOY should heed for the 99%, his real boss, instead of the 1% represented by Mr. Lucio Tan.”

PALEA files complaint vs. Pasay judge and sheriff as TRO on picket is denied

2011-10-21T11:46:00.001+08:00

Press Release

October 21, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) filed this morning a complaint at the Supreme Court (SC) against Pasay Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Edwin Ramizo and Sheriff Virgilio Villar for violation of the New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary and the Code of Conduct for Judicial Personnel respectively. PALEA president Gerry Rivera filed the complaint thru a letter addressed to SC Administrator Midas Marquez. Sheriff Villar’s attempt to implement an order from Executive Judge Ramizo led to the scuffles at PALEA’s protest camp last Wednesday.

Also this morning Pasay RTC Judge Maria Rosario Ragasa denied the motion of Philippine Airlines (PAL) to extend the temporary restraining order earlier issued by Executive Judge Ramizo against PALEA’s occupation of the In-Flight Center perimeter. Meanwhile PAL has a pending motion to inhibit against Judge Ragasa that has not been acted upon.

“We thank Judge Ragasa for exercising prudence and integrity in her decision and recognizing PALEA’s right to maintain its peaceful protest at the IFC. Apparently PAL is unable to use its magic on Judge Ragasa so it asking her to inhibit,” Rivera asserted.

Rivera argued that “In its insistence in dismantling PALEA’s campout, PAL is exposing its contradictory claims. PAL says that the 2,400 PALEA members cannot be accepted back to work since the airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations departments have been closed and outsourced. So how come PAL alleges that the IFC which houses the catering department is essential to its operations. This raises the suspicions that it will allow Sky Kitchen, a supposed separate entity that at present provides substandard catering service according to reports reaching PALEA, access to the facilities of the IFC.”

PALEA’s complaint assailed Executive Judge Ramizo for granting a 72-hour TRO though the case involves a labor dispute and deciding ex-parte or without benefit of a hearing for all the parties concerned despite the lack of extreme urgency. Further PALEA criticizes Executive Judge Ramizo for issuing an order to Sheriff Villar after the case had already been raffled off to Judge Ragasa.

Meanwhile PALEA’s complaint faults Sheriff Villar for implementing the order on Wednesday afternoon despite being confronted with the status quo order of Judge Ragasa that morning. PALEA likewise berates Sheriff Villar for being accompanied and assisted by some 100 unidentified men in the dispersal attempt.

“These men are PAL’s goons who were acting in concert with Sheriff Villar since every time he tried to tear down tents and streamers, the goons moved with him,” Rivera recalled. PALEA has vowed to defend its “occupation” which it has announced to be inspired by the

Occupy Wall Street

protests and part of the global movement against corporate greed and corruption.

PALEA member dies after health benefits terminated

2011-10-21T10:11:00.002+08:00

Press Release

October 21, 2011

PALEA

A member of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) named Antonio Enero died last October 16 of leukemia, some two weeks after he was forced to checked out of the Cardinal Santos hospital since his medical benefits from Philippine Airlines has been terminated together with his employment. “PALEA condoles with the family of Antonio, who is fondly called January by his workmates. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for standing with PALEA in the fight against contractualization at PAL,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

On the morning of September 30, doctors and nurses at Cardinal Santos told Enero that someone called from PAL’s Human Resources office said that he is already terminated from work and so are his medical benefits, and if they want to continue his medications and confinement, they have to pay on their own and the company will not shoulder the expenses anymore. January then needed 14 anti-biotic shots for 7 days with each shot worth PhP 5,000. Enero is survived by his wife Irene and two children, the youngest is 5 years.

Last Wednesday, more than 1,000 PALEA members attending the union general assembly observed a moment of silence in honor of Enero who was called a “true PALEAN” and a “working class hero.” The tribute for Enero and the “state of the union address” by Rivera was however disrupted by the attempt to disperse the protest camp that day.

Enero had been confined at Cardinal Santos a few days before the September 27 protest by PALEA but when he heard of the events he told his wife that had he been well then he would participating in the mass action. Four days after leaving Cardinal Santos and getting weaker, Enero was confined again, this time at Perpetual Help Las Pinas. His wife Irene was worried about the hospital and medication expenses and told her husband to get the separation offer. Irene recalled that his husband said “Hindi, laban pa rin tayo, mangungutang na lang tayo.”

However burdened with huge medical bills, Enero and his wife Irene later decided to finally avail of the separation pay. Irene got the separation pay on October 15 but Enero died the next day. Irene told Enero’s PALEA friends her belief that had he not been forced to leave Cardinal Santos and instead his antibiotic shots had continued then he would have been with his family for a while longer.

Enero’s remains lied in state at the Filipinas Funeral in Las Pinas for several days until it was transferred to his home province yesterday morning.

99% endorse PALEA resolution at NAPC sectoral assembly

2011-10-20T17:36:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE

Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay

20 October 2011

The basic sectors, the 99% of the Filipino people have spoken. Contractualization as a policy was rejected and they want President Aquino to utilize his powers to cause the reinstatement of 2,600 regular employees locked out by PAL beginning October 1, 2011.

This was the unanimous sentiment of the different sectors that gathered at the National Anti-Poverty Commission’s (NAPC) National Sectoral Assembly held from October 17-19 at different venues in Quezon City.

The Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay (KAMP), a coalition of different sectoral and civil society organizations campaigning for a life of dignity for all, is one of the many groups that attended the sectoral assembly. KAMP is pushing for the universalization of social protection policies such as decent housing, employment guarantees, healthcare, and other social protection measures for the poor and marginalized sectors.

KAMP coordinator Wilson Fortaleza, said a resolution, “expressing deep concern on the harmful consequence of outsourcing/contractualization schemes to the exercise of labor rights; and urging President Benigno S. Aquino III, with all his powers to intervene in labor-management disputes vital to national interest, to reinstate with full rights the 2,600 workers locked out by PAL on October 1, 2011”, was unanimously approved, first by the non-government organizations (NGO) sector and later by the women, youth and students, the elderly, and even the children sectors who gathered at the Great Eastern Hotel in Quezon City.

A similar resolution was also approved in the formal labor sectoral assembly held at another hotel where workers in the formal, informal, and migrant sectors were gathered.

“Now that the boss had spoken loud on this particular issue of contractualization and outsourcing in PAL, the ball is now on the hands of the President. Either he is for the 99% or he is for the 1% represented by Mr. Lucio Tan,” said Fortaleza.

The “We are the 99%” slogan popularized by the “

Occupy Wall St.

” protesters, added Fortaleza, is also gaining interest from the basic sectors.

Created under Republic Act 8425, the NAPC institutionalizes the government’s Social Reform Agenda (SRAs), which aim is to strengthen and invigorate the partnership between the national government and the basic sectors.

PALEA resists dispersal, slams PAL for “picket busting”

2011-10-20T14:24:00.001+08:00

Press Release

October 20, 2011

PALEA

More than 1,000 members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) successfully resisted the attempt to disperse its protest camp yesterday. “We accuse the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) of using a sheriff and scores of hired goons to bust PALEA’s peaceful and lawful protest. The dispersal attempt was in clear violation of the status quo order of Pasay RTC Judge Maria Rosario Ragasa yesterday in which PAL agreed to respect the campout,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Pasay City Sheriff Virgilio Villar arrived at the PALEA campout at around 3:00 pm yesterday accompanied by some 100 men in white t-shirts or undershirts and blue pants ostensibly to implement an order from Executive Judge Edwin Ramizo of the Pasay RTC. At 4:15 pm, the sheriff and the unidentified men started tearing down streamers at the front of the protest camp but were repulsed by PALEA members. “The sheriff and his goons came back again at 6:00 pm, scuffles broke out but they were finally forced to retreat. All the time, scores of riot police were just a short distance away observing the dispersal attempt,” Rivera explained.

Today the six PALEA members who were sued by PAL for “illegal occupation of the perimeter of PAL’s In-Flight Center (IFC)” submitted their position paper at the sala of Judge Ragasa. PALEA moved for dismissal since the civil courts have no jurisdiction over cases involving or arising out of labor disputes as per Article 254 of the Labor Code. A decision on the case is expected tomorrow.

Rivera recalled that the unidentified men came in two groups. One contingent came out of the IFC while another marched down from Terminal 2. When confronted, Sheriff Villar initially admitted that the unidentified men were with him but later denied knowledge of the group. “Nonetheless the circumstances reveal that PAL’s goons were acting in concert with Sheriff Villar’s since every time he attempted to tear down tents and streamers, the goons moved with him,” he detailed.

The thousand-strong ranks of PALEA stayed overnight to guard the camp out. PALEA has vowed to defend its “occupation” which it has announced to be inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protests and part of the global movement against corporate greed and corruption.

PALEA condemns PAL for dispersal of protest camp

2011-10-19T18:26:00.003+08:00

Press Release

October 19, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) condemned the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) for the attempt to disperse its protest camp despite the status quo order of Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ma. Rosario Ragaza.

“We denounce in strongest terms PAL management for masterminding the demolition attempt. Sheriff Virgilio Villar and the goons which accompanied him will have to face responsibility for their illegal act today. The power and money of Lucio Tan has influenced the Labor Department, the Office of the President, the Supreme Court and now as clear as day even officers of the court,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

The sheriff and the goons were forced to retreat in the face of the resistance of some 500 PALEA members at who linked up in arms in defense of the protest camp. Tensions abated by 5:00 pm but scuffles ensued again when the sheriif returned by 6:00 pm. At least one PALEA officer was hurt, and a tent and some streamers were torn down.

A sheriff with police escort arrived at the PALEA campout at past 3:00 pm ostensibly to implement an order from Executive Judge Edwin Ramizo of the Pasay RTC. PALEA leaders confronted them with the status quo order from Judge Ragaza. At 4:15 pm, the sheriff together with scores of goons started tearing down streamers at the front of the protest area and then tried to enter the campout but were blocked by PALEA members. Unable to proceed with the dispersal, at 4:45 pm the sheriff finally started negotiations with PALEA leaders and legal counsel Atty. Marlon Manuel.

“In its insistence in dismantling PALEA’s campout, PAL is exposing its contradictory claims. PAL says that the 2,400 PALEA members cannot be accepted back to work since the airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations departments have been closed and outsourced. So how come PAL alleges that the IFC which houses the catering department is essential to its operations. This raises the suspicions that it will allow Sky Kitchen, a supposed separate entity that at present provides substandard catering service according to reports reaching PALEA, access to the facilities of the IFC,” Rivera explained.

Meanwhile at the national sectoral assembly of the National Anti-Poverty Summit, the plenary unanimously approved a resolution “expressing deep concern on the harmful consequence of outsourcing/contractualization schemes to the exercise of labor rights; and urging President Aquino, with all his powers to intervene in the labor-management dispute which is vital to the national interest, to reinstate with full rights the 2,600 workers locked out by PAL on October 1, 2011.”

In the hearing today on the case filed by PAL against six PALEA members for obstructing the free ingress and egress at the In-Flight Center (IFC) along MIA Road, Judge Ragaza ruled for a status quo and warned any party against moving against the protest camp.

Pasay judge rules for status quo on PALEA “occupation”

2011-10-19T14:52:00.003+08:00

Press Release

October 19, 2011

PALEA

In the hearing today on the case filed by Philippine Airlines (PAL) against six members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) for obstructing the free ingress and egress at the In-Flight Center (IFC) along MIA Road, Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ma. Rosario Ragaza ruled for a status quo. “In view of this status quo order, PALEA’s peaceful protest camp continues,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

The result of the hearing however was apparently lost on a Pasay sheriff who came today to the protest camp accompanied by PNP personnel to remind PALEA of the 72-hour temporary restraining order handed down last Monday by another Pasay RTC Judge Edwin Ramizo. No untoward incident transpired as PALEA members apprised the sheriff and the police of the latest developments.

In the hearing at Branch 108 of the Pasay RTC, the six PALEA members moved that the case be dismissed since it involves a labor dispute and as per provisions of the Labor Code is not under the jurisdiction of the civil courts. Tomorrow the parties were asked by Judge Ragaza to submit their position papers and a final decision is expected on Friday.

“In arguing its case against PALEA’s campout, PAL is contradicting itself. PAL says that the 2,400 PALEA members cannot be accepted back to work since the airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations departments have been closed and outsourced. So how come PAL alleges that the IFC which houses the catering department is essential to its operations. This raises the suspicions that it will allow Sky Kitchen, a supposed separate entity that at present provides substandard catering service according to reports reaching PALEA, access to the facilities of the IFC,” Rivera insisted.

PALEA had declared that it will not abandon the protest camp despite threats from PAL to have it dismantled. The union has also announced that the campout is part of the global movement against corporate greed and corruption inspired by the Occupy Wall Street protests.

“The Occupy Wall Street movement is already in the Philippines despite Malacanang’s dismissive attitude. The experience of PALEA and North Triangle residents shows how this government has fallen captive to corporate interests such as Lucio Tan and the Ayalas. The seeds have been sown by PALEA’s occupation of this part of the airport area. The occupation movement in the country can only grow and bloom in the coming days,” argued Rivera.

Last Monday PALEA and North Triangle residents who are demanding on-site housing and fighting eviction by an Ayala property development firm joined forces in a symbolic occupation of Roxas Boulevard. They were supported by running priest Fr. Robert Reyes and the Freedom from Debt Coalition which has started a campaign to boycott PAL and Air Philippines.

PALEA slams TRO on protest camp

2011-10-18T12:18:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 18, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) slammed the temporary restraining order granted Philippine Airlines (PAL) for alleged acts of preventing and depriving the flag carrier of its right to operate the In-Flight Center (IFC). Yesterday afternoon PALEA members manning the protest camp outside the IFC received a copy of a 72-hour TRO from the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Edwin B. Ramizo.

“PAL misled the court into issuing a TRO by concealing that the protest camp at the IFC arose out of an ongoing labor dispute. Although Judge Ramizo should have also exercised prudence since the labor row is a matter of public knowledge. Similar to the Supreme Court recall of the flights attendants case, PAL is using the justice system to cause injustice,” insisted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

PALEA declared that it shall continue to fight PAL’s abuses through the courts and in protests, and defend the rights of its members, including the campout at the IFC which it has declared to be an occupation inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement. “Similar to
Occupy Wall Street
which has fought eviction by the New York City government and police, we will not surrender our occupation of the airport area despite continuing threats of demolition,” Rivera declared.

He revealed that the threat against the peaceful campout and the forcible eviction by protesting PALEA members at Terminal 2 last September 27 will be brought to the attention of Congress. The House Labor Committee holds a hearing this afternoon on the labor row at PAL.

Rivera explained that the regular courts do not have the authority to issue injunction orders in cases originating from labor disputes. He quoted Article 254 of the Labor Code which says: “Injunction prohibited. No temporary or permanent injunction or restraining order in any case involving or growing out of labor disputes shall be issued by any court or other entity, except as otherwise provided in Articles 218 and 264 of this Code.” He added that Article 218 refers to the powers of the National Labor Relations Commission while Article 264 refers to assumption of jurisdiction authority of the Labor Secretary or the President.

“In another case of double-speak, PAL claims publicly that its operations have normalized but it justified its prayer for a TRO by allegations that its operations are seriously hampered,” Rivera stated.

He argued that “PAL went to the absurd extent of hiding the existence of PALEA since the complaint does not contain any reference to union and instead the company sued six PALEA members in their individual capacities.”

PALEA, North Triangle residents occupy Roxas Blvd. as PNoy speaks at NAPC

2011-10-17T09:21:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 17, 2011

PALEA

Members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) and residents of North Triangle joined forces in a symbolic occupation of

Roxas Boulevard

as President Benigno Aquino III spoke at a national assembly of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) at the PICC. “The workers and the poor are the 99% of Filipino but why is PNoy siding with Lucio Tan and the Ayalas who represent the 1%,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Renato Magtubo, PM chair and a delegate to the NAPC assembly, boycotted President Aquino’s keynote speech and instead joined the protest. He said that “I choose to be with the 99% rather than listen to the lies of the president of the 1%. PNoy has betrayed the Filipino workers and the poor as revealed by his government’s decision on the Philippine Airlines (PAL) dispute and on the North Triangle issue.”

Earlier this morning, Rivera and Magtubo jogged together with running priest Fr. Robert Reyes and members of the Freedom from Debt Coalition in a “Justice Run for PAL Workers” which started at the Supreme Court, proceeded to the Courts of Appeals and then finished at

Roxas Boulevard

for the protest with PALEA and North Triangle residents.

Magtubo was referring to the ruling of the Office of the President allowing the outsourcing at PAL and the forcible eviction by police of protesting PALEA members at the Terminal 2. In North Triangle, Malacanang rejected the demand of the North Triangle residents for on-site socialized housing despite the approval by a Technical Working Group of a detailed and comprehensive plan. Ayala Land will develop the North Triangle area and is pushing for the demolition of the urban poor residents.

As part of the symbolic occupation of

Roxas Boulevard

, members of PALEA and the San Roque Community Council-North Triangle Alliance (SRCC-NTA)-Kilos Maralita formed a human chain in front of the Cultural Center of the

Philippines

. By noon, they partook of a “tanghaliang tuyo” to coincide with President Aquino’s “boodle lunch” with representatives of the NAPC delegates.

Last Saturday, in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street Global Day of Action, PALEA declared their protest camp at PAL’s In-Flight Center as part of the international movement against corporate greed and corruption.

“Similar to
Occupy Wall Street
which has fought eviction by the New York City government and police, we will not surrender our occupation of the airport area despite continuing threats of demolition,” said Rivera insisted. PAL has reportedly asked the airport police to demolish the campout and PALEA suspects that private security guards are planning to harass the protesters who number more than 1,000 everyday in shifts.

PALEA’s Trailblazer Fight for Regular Jobs

2011-10-15T18:56:00.001+08:00

Last September 27, the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) launched a protest against retrenchment and outsourcing that paralyzed the operations of Philippine Airlines (PAL). The response of PAL and the government was the forcible eviction of protesting PALEA members out of the airport and other offices using an overwhelming force of police and security guards. On October 1, PAL officially terminated some 2,600 employees in three departments—airport services, catering and call center reservations.

PALEA has set up protest camps outside the In-Flight Center near Terminal 2 of the Manila International Airport and outside the Mactan International Airport in Metro Cebu. Every day more than a thousand PALEA members are alternating in shifts to maintain the protest camps.

Despite the dispersal of protesting PALEA members, PAL has not been able to normalize the company’s operations. This exposes the failure of the outsourcing plan. It is the result of PALEA’s defiance to retrenchment and contractualization.

PALEA is calling on PAL to open talks for the resolution of the labor dispute and the normalization of the operations of the flag carrier. We demand that PAL stop the lockout of workers and allow those terminated to go back to our regular jobs. The implementation of outsourcing should be halted until the courts have made a final decision.

There is a saying that Filipinos are like carabaos which are known to be patient and enduring but will fight back when abused and maltreated. For a long time, PAL employees have been patient carabaos. We have had no collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations since 1998 up to the present hence our salaries and benefits have remained almost the same.

PALEA’s sacrifice enabled PAL to recover and exit rehabilitation ahead of schedule. But in 2009, at a time when CBA negotiations should have started, PAL announced its outsourcing plan. Retrenchment and contractualization is PAL’s reward to the 13-year sacrifice of its employees!

If the retrenchment and contractualization will not be allowed, the company will go bankrupt and will not survive. This is PAL’s alibi. But what is the truth? PAL is not losing nor going bankrupt. Last year, its net income was $72.5 million or more than P3 billion. This is aside from paying $46.5 million or P2 billion in debts last year. This year PAL is projecting a modest profit. It is a lie that PAL is on the brink of ruin.

The truth is PAL wants to elude the CBA negotiations and bust the union. The 2,600 PAL regular employees will be turned into contractuals of three service providers—Sky Logistics, Sky Kitchen and SPI Global. In this way, workers’ wages will be cut down, benefits reduced, job security rid off and the union that is their voice and protection crushed.

As an example, a PAL senior reservations agent received P22,400 in salaries and allowances. If he/she transfers to SPI Global, he/she will be receiving only a P10,000 salary. A master mechanic of PAL has a salary of P28,000 but upon transfer to Sky Logistics will be given only a salary of P11,111.50.

We will be paid lower salaries but will be working longer hours. In the service provider, the workday is 8 hours for 6 days a week compared to 7.5 hours for 5 days a week at PAL. A PAL employee with 20 or 30 years of work experience will be turned into a probationary employee for six months when he/she transfers to the service provider!

No worker can live a decent life with the wages, benefits and working conditions of a contractual. Such a salary cannot cope with the rising prices of commodities. It won’t be enough to send children to school. Health care for family members will be out of reach. There is no future and dignity in contractual work.

That is why the overwhelming majority of PALEA members are holding their ground against retrenchment and contractualization. No more than 15% of affected employees accepted the separation offer. Less than 7% applied to the service providers.

Thus PAL’s planned retrenchment and contractualization could not take off. They have been unable to hire the needed number of people for the service providers and make PAL 100% operational. This exposes the myth that the terminated employees are in non-core operations. If these employees are not important, why then can’t PAL operate normally?

In desperation, PAL hired scabs a week before PALEA’s protest. PAL admitted to the Department of Labor and Employment that as early as September 19 they have started implementing the outsourcing plan.

PALEA was pushed to the wall. It was left with no other option but to hold the protest against retrenchment and contractualization. It was the only way left to defend the regular job of PAL employees.

We are calling on PAL—withdraw the planned outsourcing, stop the retrenchment and contractualization. The ball is in your hands to resolve the labor dispute. End the difficulties of PAL’s passengers and clients.

We appeal for the public’s understanding for any inconvenience brought about by the protest. Most of you are workers like us and should understand why we need to fight against contractualization. Safe and efficient service is guaranteed with PAL’s regular employees not with the contractual workers of the service providers.

PALEA is grateful to all who have been supporting our struggle for the past two years. Today we need your support more than ever.

Firstly, we are calling for concrete actions from labor groups, church institutions and other sectoral organizations to strengthen pressure on PAL on the one hand, and the government, on the other hand.

In addition, we are calling on all to visit the PALEA protest camps. Your presence will help sustain the high morale of PALEA members. You can also bring in assistance, in cash or in kind. Maintaining the protest camps with thousands of people is quite costly. The campouts needs food, water, tents, mats, etc.

To those wishing to donate, please deposit to:

Bank: RCBC

Branch: Baclaran

Account name: PALEA Strike Fund

Peso Savings Account: 1057-16092-3

Peso Current Account: 0057-01628-1

Dollar Account: 8057-00403-9

PALEA has been fighting for two long years to stop retrenchment and contractualization. Now is the time to win this battle.

This is a fight for our families. This is a fight for our future. This is a fight for all Filipino workers. Solidarity forever. The workers united will never be defeated.

For any questions or if you more information, contact us at:

Landline: 8511002 (PALEA), 4396829 (Partido ng Manggagawa)

Cellphone: 09209543634, 09175570777, 09228677522

Facebook: Sulong PALEANS!

Tweeter: manggagawa

http://partidongmanggagawa2001.blogspot.com

http://www.laborpartyphilippines.org

PALEA joins Occupy Wall Street Day of Action as international actions for PALEA start

2011-10-15T12:07:00.001+08:00

Press Release

October 15, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) declared their protest camp as its contribution to the Occupy Wall Street movement which has announced today as an International Day of Action. “More than 1,000 PALEA members and supporters have occupied this part of the airport area since September 28 and today we proclaim it to be part of Occupy Wall Street movement. Similar to Occupy Wall Street which has fought eviction by the New York city government and police, we will not surrender this occupation despite continuing threats of demolition,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Meanwhile international solidarity actions for PALEA started yesterday with a picket by Japanese railway workers at the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. On October 27, US labor unions and the Filipino-American community will picket the Philippine consulate in San Francisco.

According to the protesters from Doro-Chiba, a railway union in Japan, a staff of the political section came out of the embassy in Tokyo to receive the letter of concern and said that the document will be forwarded to the person in charge of the embassy and then transferred to the home government. Doro-Chiba members also distributed to passers-by flyers explaining PALEA’s plight and supporting the fight against contractualization.

In its letter, Doro-Chiba asked that the Philippine government “give an adequate guidance to the Philippine Airlines management to stop lock-out immediately, to reinstate all the PALEA members to the original job as regular employment and to reopen good faith negotiation with PALEA, who is raising a quite justified demand to withdraw the outsourcing plan unconditionally.”

In today’s international day of action, Occupy Wall Street supporters will demonstrate in over 951 cities in 82 countries in a coordinated protest against corporate greed and corruption. Occupy Wall Street is a people powered movement that began on September 17 in Liberty Square in Manhattan’s Financial District, and has spread all over the United States and the globe.

Echoing Occupy Wall Street’s call, Rivera said that “The workers and the poor are the 99% of Filipinos but why is PNoy acceding to the greed of Lucio Tan who is just part of the 1%?” Next week PALEA has planned more protests to bring its message against contractualization to the workers and the people.

PALEA members won’t take separation package

2011-10-14T12:06:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 14, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) separation benefit and gratuity pay for retrenched workers are out for the taking. But defiant members of Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) said they cannot be lured over by a price tag that holds back their right to live a life of dignity.

“Regular job is our bottom line. We rejected the outsourcing plan because we value our dignity as regular workers. We lose it and we lose everything,” said PALEA president Gerry Rivera.

Rivera, who is also the vice president of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), said, the separation package “was bereft of any good intention since the offer was in exchange for a grand surrender of everything a regular employee have had in his/her 20 or 30 years of service in PAL.”

Inspired by the growing local and international support, PALEA remains optimistic they can win back their regular jobs either through the courts or through the streets. Yesterday, labor groups under the Koalisyon Kontra Kontraktwalisasyon (Kontra) trooped to Malacanang to demand the scrapping of Lucio Tan’s outsourcing plan which they believe would create a generation of “endos” or a generation of workers who jump from one contractual job to another.

Joining the protest yesterday was Bishop Broderick Pabillo, head of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines–National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA) and co-chair of the Church-Labor Conference (CLC). The Church has been very supportive of PALEA’s struggle against contractualization. Last October 8, during the 3rd Anniversary of CLC, Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales assured PALEA and all the suffering workers of the Church’s unequivocal support.

Meanwhile, civil society groups led by the Freedom from Debt Coalition, have launched a boycott PAL campaign on-line, while trade union groups from the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many more, have already expressed their solidarity to PALEA and are planning to hold protest actions at the Philippine consulate offices in their respective countries.

More protests including simultaneous city and municipal actions nationwide are being lined up for next week as local unions and associations join the fight against contractualization.

National interest served by return of PALEA members to regular jobs

2011-10-13T12:20:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 13, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) today asserted that the interest of the nation will be best served by the return of some 2,400 retrenched employees of Philippine Airlines to their regular jobs. “The economy, tourism, the welfare of OFW’s, and passenger safety have all been put at risk because of the failed outsourcing plan of PAL which laid off its skilled and experienced manpower. Two weeks after the illegal lockout and termination of PALEA members, PAL’s flights have not normalized despite Jaime Bautista’s promise of a smooth transition starting on October 1,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

PALEA joined today’s rally by labor groups under the Koalisyon Kontra Kontraktwalisasyon (KONTRA) at Mendiola. The groups called on the government to resolve PAL labor dispute by ordering the return of the terminated PALEA members to their regular jobs. Next week PALEA has planned more protests to bring its message against contractualization to the workers and the people. Yesterday PALEA held a big protest at the

MIA Road

to denounce President Benigno Aquino’s insensitivity to the plight of the workers as revealed by his FOCAP speech.

Rivera disputed President Aquino position that national interest dictates government’s support for PAL’s outsourcing plan. “If PNoy wants to protect the national interest and the welfare of some 10 million OFW’s then he should order the return to work of PALEA members who are the only ones capable of making PAL fly and its operations normal. Without outsourcing, PAL was flying well and making P3 billion in profits. But when outsourcing came and PALEA members were retrenched, PAL’s flights went abnormal, and national interest put at risk,” he said.

“If tomorrow we need to repatriate thousands of OFW’s from abroad, only the skilled workers from PALEA can make PAL fly not the untrained and overworked scabs. National interest means regular jobs for workers not management prerogative to layoff,” Rivera insisted.

He added that “PNoy says that global economic realities dictate that outsourcing be implemented. For some reason he is out of touch with reality. Resistance to outsourcing is a global trend. From
Occupy Wall Street
protesters to strikers at Qantas in Australia to workers in Greece, all are saying enough of corporate greed and corruption.”

“What is PNoy doing with his economics diploma that he cannot analyze the economic reality of the world? Outsourcing and globalization has led to economic crisis and global recession. Wealth has been monopolized by the 1% per cent while the 99% of the people have been impoverished by layoffs and contractualization among others. Thus workers lack the money to buy the goods and services needed for their daily life and economic recession is the result,” Rivera explained.

PAL outsourcing still can’t fly while local and international support to PALEA growing

2011-10-12T14:28:00.000+08:00

Press Release

PALEA

October 12, 2011

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) today said the PAL management can do more good to the country and the riding public if it submits to the fact that its outsourcing plan has failed rather than make false claims that PAL operations are back to normal while blaming PALEA for its cancelled flights.

“Please don’t make false claims to the public that PAL is 95% operational when on the contrary our terminal remains a ghost town as many flights remain cancelled. Just tell the truth that the outsourcing plan has failed because of the lack of skilled manpower and not because of an absurd fairy tale of harassment coming from PALEA,” said PALEA president Gerry Rivera.

This unsolicited advice was made by PALEA as it mobilized its members and supporters into another peaceful mass action today at the

MIA Road

near the entrance of Terminal 2. A simultaneous action is also going to be held in Cebu.

Joining PALEA’s protest today are the Church people led by Bishop Broderick Pabillo, head of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines–National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA). It is the second time Bishop Pabillo officiated a mass for PALEA. The Church has been very supportive of PALEA’s struggle against contractualization. Last October 8, during the 3rd Anniversary of the Church-Labor Conference (CLC), Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales assured PALEA and all the suffering workers of the Church’s unequivocal support.

Tomorrow, labor groups under the Koalisyon Laban sa Kontraktwalisasyon (Kontra) and the Church-Labor Conference (CLC) will stage another big mass action at Mendiola to ask Malacanang to scrap Lucio Tan’s outsourcing plan.

Local civil society groups on the other hand have already launched a boycot PAL campaign on-line, while trade union groups from the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many more have already expressed their solidarity to PALEA and are planning to hold protest actions most probably at the Philippine consulate offices.

Meanwhile Rivera was saddened by the statement made by President Aquino that while the Palace emphatizes with PALEA, the interest of OFWs is more its priority. “The President should not pit one issue over another since PALEA members and OFWs are workers riding the same boat. Obviously the one who’s rocking the boat, the Terminator Lucio Tan, has once again escaped the eyes of the President.”

Rivera, who is also the vice president of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), said the protest movement against mass layofff and outsourcing is still gaining momentum and he thanked everybody for taking the PALEA struggle as “laban ng lahat”.

He added that aside from the riding public, the Tourism Congress has already taken notice of the harsh impact of this continuing labor dispute at PAL to the country’s tourism industry as well as on business.

But the labor leader pointed out that the current operational problems facing PAL was due to Lucio Tan’s insistence that regular workers be replaced by contractuals, which, unfortunately, cannot be done overnight and without inviting a fight from the Paleans and the entire labor movement in the country.

“So why blame the workers who have worked hard, shown loyalty and have considered PAL their second family? It is Lucio Tan who wants us out of PAL. And remember it is the same Lucio Tan who uses all his powers and influence in different branches of government to strike out the 1,400 flight attendants,” stressed Rivera.

More than 1,000 PALEA members remain solidly intact at their protest camp located outside PAL’s In-Flight Services building since being locked out by PAL on September 27 and October 1. Other members are also still in protest at PAL’s outlying areas in different parts of the country.

PALEA says FASAP is victim of Lucio Tan’s corruption; Bishop Pabillo mass will be highlight of protest tomorrow

2011-10-11T11:41:00.001+08:00

Press Release

October 11, 2011

PALEA

In the wake of the recall by the Supreme Court of its supposed final ruling on the illegal dismissal case of 1,400 flight attendants, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) expressed its support for the fight of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP). “Like PALEA, FASAP is also a victim of Lucio Tan’s greed and corruption. We call on all workers, especially contractuals, and Filipinos opposed to contractualization to come to the big protest for social justice and change,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo is celebrating a mass which will be the highlight of tomorrow’s rally that will last from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at PALEA’s protest camp along

MIA Road

. “PALEA and FASAP are concrete examples of how workers everywhere are losing jobs because of corporate greed and government corruption. The workers and the poor are the 99% of this country whose voices must be heard and whose grievances must be redressed,” asserted Renato Magtubo, PM national chair.

Rivera insisted that “We say to the Supreme Court: justice utterly delayed is justice absolutely denied. The protracted legal fight of FASAP for the 1,400 cabin crew is the reason we ask that the outsourcing of 2,600 ground employees be halted pending final decision by the courts. We do not want PALEA members and their families to suffer while waiting 13 years for a final Supreme Court decision which later upholds the illegality of the outsourcing plan.”

PALEA also lambasted PAL for its “wild allegation” that its members are harassing the scabs working for the flag carrier. “PAL is setting up the scenario for the police to dismantle the protest camp as a sequel to the forcible dispersal of protesting PALEA members last September 27. PAL’s scabs are being nagged by their guilty consciences but no one has been harassed. We are appealing to their sense of solidarity: ipinaglaban kayo ng PALEA noon, manindigan kayo para sa PALEA ngayon. Think of the safety of passengers for we know that you have been working overtime above eight hours a day for the last two weeks due to the shortage of skilled manpower,” Rivera explained.

He added that “Two weeks after the lockout and termination of 2,600 PAL employees, PALEA’s will to fight and win is not broken by the intransigence of management and collusion of government. Our fighting morale is sustained by the generous support from flight attendants, labor groups, church institutions and other sectors. Our will to win is inspired by the

Occupy Wall Street movement, the struggles by airline workers in Australia and the general strikes in Europe.”

PALEA pickets hotel for PAL volunteers; all systems go for big protest on Wednesday

2011-10-10T10:10:00.000+08:00

Press Release

October 10, 2011

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) picketed this morning the Charter House in Makati where replacement workers of Philippine Airlines (PAL) from outlying stations in the provinces are billeted. “We appeal to our fellow PAL employees from the provinces not to be used as scabs by management against PALEA. Go home, your families need you and so does PALEA,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

Rivera also announced that “all systems go” for the big protest rally on Wednesday at the PALEA protest camp near Terminal 2. “Two weeks after the lockout and termination of 2,600 PAL employees, PALEA’s will to fight and win is not broken by the intransigence of management and collusion of government. Despite PAL and government’s professed concern for the riding public, they are willing to sacrifice normal operations in the hope that PALEA’s determination will collapse as the days go by. Heaven continuously showers the picketers with blessings as PALEA’s protest will go on until we return to our regular jobs,” Rivera insisted.

Some 50 PALEA members held the picket at 10:30 am today outside the Charter House in Legaspi Village. They held placards with the messages “Makiiisa sa PALEA, Wag magpagamit sa PAL,” “Ipinaglaban ka ng PALEA noon, Manindigan ka sa PALEA ngayon,” “Isipin ang kinabukasan, Wag ang kasalukuyan,” “Wag ipagpalit sa P1,000/day ang ating kinabukasan” and “Itaguyod ang passenger safety, Wag mag-iskirol.”

“We call on Filipino workers, especially those who are contractuals, and all our kababayans who oppose contractualization to join the rally on Wednesday. The big protest is inspired by and in support of the
Occupy Wall Street
movement against corporate greed and for social justice,” Rivera explained.

He added that “On Wednesday the long hands of solidarity extend across the thousands of miles from the Philippines to our brothers and sisters in the US. One common thread ties protesters in Wall Street with PALEA members—the fight for a better future for workers and their families.”

Labor groups supporting PALEA will stage a rally on Thursday in Mendiola to call on President Benigno Aquino III to resolve the labor dispute and normalize PAL operations by ordering the return of PALEA members to their regular jobs. Rivera raised the question to Pnoy, “Sino ba ang boss mo, ang manggagawa o si Lucio?”