Group slams DOLE intervention to stop strike at power plant

The group Partido Manggagawa slammed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for imposing an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) order that stopped the union at the KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) Cebu coal power plant from staging a work stoppage. The union has been deadlocked in its collective bargaining (CB) negotiations with the company.

 

“The DOLE’s AJ is favorable to the company as it prevents workers from exercising leverage to achieve its reasonable demands. Moreso, DOLE violated its own DO 40-H-13 in imposing an AJ without the following the required procedure. Both KEPCO and DOLE are pasaway (misbehaving) labor relations actors!,” stated Dennis Derige, union organizer of SENTRO and spokesperson for the PM chapter in Cebu.

 

The KEPCO union is an affiliate of SENTRO and its members voted overwhelmingly for a strike, as required by law. DOLE’s AJ was handed down on the eve of the planned strike . “Since the union could not legally go on strike, KEPCO remains hardline in its bargaining position as it felt relieved of the pressure of an impending work stoppage,” Derige added.

 

The deadlocked CB provisions included wage increase, medical allowance, signing bonus, union security, grievance procedures, agency fees and the formation of a just transition committee composed of the union and management.

 

Derige explained that “None of the union’s economic and political demands are controversial or excessive. In fact, the union has shown flexibility by reducing its initial demands. But KEPCO—despite being stable and profitable—has been intransigent and just disrespects the union.”

 

He added that DOLE DO 40-H-13 requires that an AJ can only be ordered if either both parties requested for an AJ or the DOLE first called for a conference of the two parties prior to the issuance of the AJ. Derige said that neither of these two conditions were satisfied.

 

According to latest information posted on the National Conciliation and Mediation Board’s website, the DOLE has already issued three AJ’s as of February this year. In comparison seven AJs were imposed for the whole year of 2024. The Philippine government has been the subject of complaints to the International Labour Organization for its indiscriminate use of AJs that results in the effective prohibition of the right to strike, aside from the killings of trade unionists and other forms of repression of the freedom to unionize.

April 4, 2025

Group slams PNoy for prioritizing Korean investments over workers’ concerns

Picketline at Tae Sung factory in February 2015

The labor party-list group Partido Manggagawa (PM) denounced President Benigno Aquino III for neglecting to raise urgent concerns of Filipino workers of Korean-owned companies in the country to South Korean President Park Geun-Hye at the just concluded Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Media had reported that Aquino vowed to protect some one million Koreans residing in the Philippines as requested by Park.

Rene Magtubo, PM national chair, stated that “As we expected, when President Aquino met President Park, they talked about promoting trade and investments. Aquino spoke not a word about protecting union rights and decent pay for workers despite many ongoing labor rows involve Korean-owned factories in the Philippines.”

“On the specific case of Korea’s state-owned KEPCO coal plant in Cebu, the Office of the President had intervened to impose an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) on the planned strike against illegal dismissals and union busting. These circumstances merit it being discussed between the two presidents if only to resolve the long-running dispute,” Magtubo added.

Workers from two Korean-owned companies now embroiled in labor disputes had challenged APEC on the issue of labor rights. Employees of power company KEPCO-Cebu and metal factory Tae Sung in Cavite have charged their managements with union busting and have pending labor disputes.

Lowell Sanchez, president of the KEPCO Cebu Supervisors Association (KCSA-WSN-Sentro), challenged the government to resolve the labor dispute. The KEPCO union filed a notice of strike last June for the unfair dismissal of Sanchez. The planned strike of the KEPCO workers was stopped by an AJ order so that it will not affect the APEC ministers meeting in Cebu last August. KEPCO operates coal plants in Cebu and Batangas.

Meanwhile, according to Charlie Piamonte, union president of Tae Sung Employees Association (TEA), they filed a notice of strike last November 12 for union busting. He explained that Tae Sung illegally fired union officer Joven Niviar, among other incidents of harassment of union members. The union is planning to conduct a strike vote within the next few days. Under the law, a union may launch a strike seven days after a majority of union members authorize it through a vote. Tae Sung is based in the Cavite Economic Zone in Rosario, Cavite and produces metal parts for the supply chain of multinational companies like American Power Conversion-Schneider Electric, Honda, Mitsubishi, Caterpillar and Siemens.

“KEPCO and Tae Sung are crystal clear examples of how APEC has facilitated growth and profit for multinational corporations that operates across borders. And they also fully illustrate how workers have born the sacrifices for the phenomenal economic benefits that corporations have reaped due to APEC. Workers across APEC countries contend with low pay, contractual work and union suppression even as their labor created the doubling of real GDP within APEC between 1989 and 2013,” Magtubo ended.

November 20, 2015

Labor Day strike in Cebu? DOLE asked to respect KEPCO workers right to strike over low pay, union busting

Press Release

April 29, 2015

The labor party Partido Manggagawa (PM) today called on Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to “stay” its use of assumption of jurisdiction powers as requested by the management of KEPCO-Salcon Power Corp. in Naga, Cebu. “We call on Secretary Baldoz to give a reprieve to the KEPCO unions so that they can exercise their right to strike against low pay and union busting. We hope Sec. Baldoz will remain true to her word that government intervention in labor disputes is now a thing of the past,” asserted PM chair Rene Magtubo.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla has said that a power outage may hit Mactan City and the island of Negros should a strike push through at the 200MW KEPCO power plant. However, PM avers that KEPCO is refusing to meet its workers demands as it expects that the planned strike will be stopped through an assumption of jurisdiction (AJ) order.

The rank-and-file and supervisory workers who are affiliated to WSN-Sentro can hold a strike as early as tomorrow but the unions will still attend a mediation hearing scheduled tomorrow morning. They are also meeting the Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III today.

“The rank-and-file and supervisory KEPCO unions have already offered to avert a strike by narrowing its main demand to the reinstatement of union leaders fired because of union activities. But we suspect management is still playing hardball as it expects an AJ order against the unions,” insisted Magtubo.

He added that “We ask KEPCO to moderate its greed. The power industry is the most profitable sector of the economy with the richest Filipinos and foreign investors like Korea’s KEPCO engaged in an industry that is structured in such a way that there is no possible way to lose money. Every cent of business expense is passed on to consumers, mainly the middle class and the working poor, thus we have one of the most expensive electricity rates in world.”

PM avers that productivity in the power sector is the highest of all industries yet the fruits of labor appear not as wages for workers but as profit for capitalists. “According to the Census of Philippine Business and Industry in 2012, the power industry’s labor productivity is at PhP 4 million annually per worker. In contrast, KEPCO rank-and-file workers receive an average of just PhP 13,000 per month or PhP 169,000 per year. Thus workers wages at KEPCO amounts to just 4% of the industry’s labor productivity,” Magtubo explained.

He asserted that “The meager wages of KEPCO workers was the motive for them to unionize and bargain as a means of enhancing their working and living standards. But rather than respect labor’s right to self-organization and collective negotiations, KEPCO is busting the supervisors union and harassing rank-and-file workers whose union has already been certified as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent.”

KEPCO workers protest low pay, union repression

Photo by Allan DEfensor of Sun Star Cebu

Press Release

April 16, 2015

Workers of KEPCO-Salcon Power Corporation today held a noisy but peaceful protest action at its Naga City plant. In a show of force and expression of solidarity, members of both the rank-and-file and supervisory unions jointly participated in the protest.

“We call on the management KEPCO-Cebu to heed their workers just demands. We say enough of low wages that do not keep up with the rising costs of living. We say enough to harassment and intimidation of workers exercising their right to join unions,” asserted Alex Ponce, President of the rank and file union Kepco Cebu Employees Association - Workers Solidarity Network (KCEA - WSN) .

As workers protested in Naga, the National Conciliation and Mediation Board conducted another mediation hearing between union and management. The two KEPCO unions both filed notices of strike for union busting and unfair labor practice last April 8.

“There is an anomalous disconnect between pay and productivity in our industry. According to a survey on labor productivity, every worker in the energy sector generates P4.1 million in earnings annually but in comparison we are paid a meager about 5% yearly. Is this inclusive growth?” explained Lowell Sanchez, President of supervisory union Kepco Cebu Supervisors Association - Workers Solidarity Network (KCSA - WSN).

The two KEPCO unions, both affiliated to Workers Solidarity Network-SENTRO, are also demanding a stop to the harassment of union members and the reinstatement of two supervisory union officers who were fired for union activities.

The unions denounced management for “being intransigent” and even refusing to attend the mediation hearing with the supervisors union. “Apparently KEPCO’s tactic is be hardline in negotiations as it expects the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to prevent a strike through its assumption of jurisdiction powers. We appeal to the good sense of DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz against falling prey to KEPCO’s dirty play. We hope she stands true to her declaration that government intervention in labor disputes is now a thing of the past,” Sanchez declared.

The International Labor Organization along with local labor groups have previously criticized the abuse of the government’s power to assume jurisdiction as a suppression of the right to strike.

“KEPCO employees call on our fellow Filipinos for understanding and our fellow workers for solidarity. Our fight for fair wages is also the fight of Filipino workers who suffer low pay. Our fight for labor rights is also the fight of all workers who deserve a voice in the workplace. Ang laban ng KEPCO workers ay laban ng lahat,” explained Ponce.

PALEA testifies at Washington DC on labor rights in the Philippines

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.

Labor dispute erupts anew at PAL

Press Release

June 12, 2011

PALEA

Labor relations at Philippine Airlines (PAL) promises to become stormy again like the weather as the union Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) is opposing the national flag carrier’s plan to employ contractual workers of a service provider on June 16. PALEA returns to the streets tomorrow with a motorcade around the airport area to drum up resistance to the planned outsourcing.

“PALEA considers the temporary outsourcing of regular jobs to MacroAsia as a backdoor implementation of the controversial contractualization plan and a violation of the April 1 order of the Labor Secretary enjoining management and the union from engaging in any act that will exacerbate the labor dispute at PAL. If PAL pushes through with the plan on June 16, we will act accordingly to defend our jobs and the union,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and Partido ng Manggagawa vice chair.

Last April 1, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz imposed an assumption of jurisdiction order on the labor dispute at PAL which stopped PALEA from a planned strike and also enjoined the two parties from any acts that will worsen the labor dispute.

At 2:30 pm tomorrow, PALEA members will assemble at their headquarters in Paranaque for the motorcade that will proceed to PAL’s In-Flight Center near the Centennial Terminal and then on to the Nichols gate where other company offices are located.

“Tomorrow’s motorcade is just a preview of protests that will culminate on Thursday should PAL carry on with its de facto outsourcing plan despite our opposition and the Labor Secretary’s order,” insisted Rivera.

Last May 30, PAL informed PALEA of an acute manpower shortage for passenger handling due to the exodus of customer service agents who have sought greener pastures abroad and asked for the union’s cooperation in allowing MacroAsia to work the departure gates for a period of six months. PALEA rejected outright the proposal and suggested instead that the vacant positions be filled up by direct hiring instead of outsourcing to a service provider. PALEA even offered to help in rehiring former PAL employees and recalling trainees who were not hired due to a freeze hiring program.

Discussions between PAL and PALEA on these stop gap measures proceeded and last June 9 the union submitted a partial list of people interested in the position of customer service agents. “PALEA has extended the hand of assistance in solving the company’s manpower shortage. We expect that PAL will shake our hands in return instead of stabbing us in the back by outsourcing regular positions to contractual workers,” Rivera averred.

PALEA seeks reconsideration of P-Noy ruling

PRESS RELEASE

April 12, 2011

Saying they need to exhaust all administrative measures available to them, members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) went back to Malacanang Tuesday to seek reconsideration of the March 25 ruling by the Office of the President.

“We want the President to reconsider and state clear his stand in upholding the constitutional rights of workers to security of tenure and collective bargaining,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

The March 25 OP decision allowed PAL owner and business tycoon Lucio Tan to proceed with his plan to layoff some 2,600 regular employees in the airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations, and transfer them as contractuals in service providers.

PALEA considered the decision to be flawed as it permits the mass layoff at a time when PAL is expecting $1.6 billion in annual profit.  “Worst, it lets PAL reward the sacrifice of the 12-year long suspension of the PALEA CBA with the termination of workers whose wages, benefits and protection have already stagnated in that period,” lamented Rivera.

Rivera stated further that because of its flawed affirmation of Secretary Baldoz’s earlier decision, President Aquino’s March 25 ruling drew strong indignations not only from PALEA  and the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) but also from the whole spectrum of the labor movement in the country and the international labor organizations as well.

The Catholic Church, through Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, also has publicly declared its all out support for PALEA’s impending strike against mass layoff and contractualization.

“Wala siyang kakampi dito kundi si Lucio Tan. Thus, through our motion for reconsideration, P-Noy has the second chance to show the labor movement where he really stands – sa baliko at tusong landas ba ni Lucio Tan, o sa makatarungang landas ni Juan Manggagawa?,” stated Rivera.

PALEA was accompanied by its lawyers Atty. Joeven Dellosa and Atty. Marlon Manuel in the filing its MR to Malacanang.  In Mendiola, labor groups supporting PALEA such as PM and the anti-contractualization group Koalisyon Laban sa Kontraktualisasyon or KONTRA held an indignation rally in support of the embattled PAL union.

On Holy Week, the groups will hold a “Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa” protest at the airport to highlight the plight of Filipino workers, especially contractual employees and the unemployed.

PALEA and the broad labor would also bring the PAL case before the International Labor Organization (ILO).

PM chair and former partylist representative Renato Magtubo pointed out that instead of fostering industrial peace, the OP decision brought PAL to the brink of a paralyzing strike last April 1. 

“It has not weakened PALEA’s resolve to fight but rather strengthened their determination to even defy the Labor Secretary’s order enjoining a strike,” said Magtubo.

 Magtubo insisted that the OP decision sends the wrong message to the workers that P-Noy’s policy is to condone labor contractualization and sacrifice workers rights at the altar of management prerogative.

PALEA to file appeal of Malacanang decision

Press Release

April 10, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) will file on Tuesday a motion for reconsideration (MR) of the Office of the President (OP) decision allowing Philippine Airlines (PAL) to proceed with its planned outsourcing. “The MR with the OP is meant to exhaust the administrative measures available for PALEA in seeking redress of our grievances. We believe that the MR has merits because the OP decision overlooked facts relevant to the labor dispute,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

PALEA together with its lawyers Atty. Joeven Dellosa and Atty. Marlon Manuel plans to file the MR on Tuesday morning. Labor groups supporting PALEA such as PM and the anti-contractualization coalition KONTRA plan to mobilize a several hundred workers to express solidarity with the embattled PAL union. The groups will assemble at 10:00 a.m. in Morayta before proceeding to Mendiola. On Holy Week, the groups will hold a “Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa” protest at the airport to highlight the plight of Filipino workers, especially contractual employees and the unemployed.

Moderate to militant wings of organized labor has announced support for PALEA and its planned strike. The flight crew union Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo have also proclaimed backing for PALEA’s strike.

The OP decision released last Mach 25 permits PAL to layoff some 2,600 employees in the airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations, and transfer them as contractuals in service providers.

“PNoy must recognize that the OP decision has not fostered industrial peace at the flag carrier. Instead the decision has agitated the membership of PALEA and brought PAL to the brink of a paralyzing strike last April 1. Moreover the decision has not weakened PALEA’s resolve to fight but rather strengthened their determination to even defy the Labor Secretary’s order enjoining a strike,” argued Renato Magtubo, PM chair.

Rivera added that “We consider the decision to be flawed in that it permits the mass layoff at a time when PAL is expecting $1.6 billion in annual profit. Further the decision lets PAL reward the sacrifice of the 12-year long suspension of the PALEA collective bargaining with the termination of workers whose wages, benefits and protection have already stagnated in that period.”

Further Magtubo insisted that “We believe that the OP decision sends the wrong message to the workers that PNoy’s policy is to condone labor contractualization and sacrifice workers rights at the altar of management prerogative.”

PALEA protests continue with picket at DOLE vs. order stopping strike

Press Release

April 4, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) shifts gear as it troops to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) main office for a protest against the order of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz enjoining the planned massive strike at Philippine Airlines. “The strike may have been postponed but protests continue with today’s picket at the DOLE as a start. In the coming days we will be holding a workers caravan together with big labor groups to call for a stop to contractualization. These mass actions will serve as the run up to the coming Labor Day celebration,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Some 100 PALEA and PM members picketed the DOLE main office in Intramuros at 10:30 a.m. A few of the protesters had tapes on their mouth and their hands were bound to symbolize the suppression of the right to strike. The group also burned a caricature of PAL owner Lucio Tan who was visualized as the devil satan. The protesters also tore copies of the Baldoz order against the PALEA strike.

“Baldoz is an anti-labor secretary. It is strike two for her as far as PAL workers are concerned. First, her order allowed the planned outsourcing and layoff of some 2,600 workers. Now, a second order preventing PAL workers from holding a strike against PAL’s unfair labor practice. This is DOLE’s double standard: capitalists have the freedom to abuse their employees under the cover of management prerogative but the workers are denied the right to defend themselves by assumption and jurisdiction orders,” Rivera explained.

PALEA also lambasted deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte for threatening PAL workers with an illegal strike should they defy the Baldoz order. “We thank Valte for again proving that Malacanang is collaborating with Lucio Tan. PAL management and Malacanang officials are singing in chorus to warn PALEA members with punishment should we defy the Baldoz order. This apparently is the labor policy of PNoy: A soft handshake to Lucio Tan for terminating 2,600 workers but a hard stick for workers trying to defend their rights,” Rivera insisted.

On April 6, PALEA and its supporters will meet with Catholic Bishop Broderick Pabillo to map out coordinated moves. The groups are planning a series of mass actions including a big protest on May 1. The labor unity network seek to galvanize public opinion in support of PALEA’s campaign against contractualization. Among the planned activities are workers assemblies, advocates fora and a labor caravan around industrial areas and ecozones.

PALEA also revealed that the case they plan to file with the International Labor Organization against government’s suppression of the conventions on the right to self-organization and collective bargaining, and the complaint will be stronger with the latest DOLE order as further evidence.

PAL union slams final DoLE decision on layoff

Press Release
October 31, 2010

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the ground crew union at the national flag carrier, slammed the final decision of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to allow the planned mass layoff of some 3,000 employees. Gerry Rivera, president of PALEA and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), stated that “The Department of Labor and Employment’s go signal for the retrenchment of half of the workforce means the death of job security at Philippine Airlines.”

Last Friday Labor Sec. Baldoz denied PALEA’s motion for reconsideration and affirmed the previous order by then Acting Labor Sec. Romeo Lagman. Both Baldoz and Lagman found the planned mass layoff to be a legitimate exercise of “management prerogative.”

Rivera announced that the union intends to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeals. Tomorrow PALEA together with PM will hold a mass action at the DoLE main office in Intramuros to denounce the order of Baldoz. The protesters plan to bring a mock coffin with the message “RIP PAL Workers” and an effigy of Baldoz as the mythical “Kamatayan.”

Rivera explained that Baldoz’ decision entirely disregarded the unions’ arguments and merely reiterated PAL ’s position that it must outsource work to service providers in order to be financially viable. “The order is not a win-win solution that balances the interest of workers for job security and management for financial viability. Instead it is simply management’s slightly improved offer disguised as DoLE’s decision,” he insisted. Baldoz’ order, compared to Lagman’s, provides for a gratuity of P50,000 per employee and 125% separation pay instead of 100%.

Rivera added that “Baldoz’ order means the green light for contractualization at PAL via a retrench-rehire scheme. PAL will retrench 3,000 regular unionized workers who will be rehired as contractuals by service providers that are partly owned by Lucio Tan. The loss of 3,000 regular jobs cannot be compensated by the creation of 3,000 new contractual positions. Baldoz’ decision released on the eve of All Souls’ Day is symbolic for it will conjure up 3,000 zombie positions which will have cheaper wages, less benefits, no security of tenure and no protection by a union.”

PALEA also declared that the mass action tomorrow is just the start of a series of protests by PAL employees and their supporters from the labor movement. An assumption of jurisdiction order from DoLE had prevented PALEA from holding mass actions including a strike since April this year. A similar assumption order was imposed on the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines while a decision remains pending at the office of Sec. Baldoz regarding the separate dispute about retirement age and other issues.

Labor party, PAL ground crew to support flight attendants strike

Press Release
September 30, 2010

The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), the ground crew union at the national flag carrier, both expressed support for the planned strike of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP).

Judy Ann Miranda, secretary general of PM, declared that “FASAP’s brothers and sisters in the labor movements stand as one body and speak with one voice in solidarity with the struggle of the flight attendants. We will mobilize our members, especially women workers, to support their fight.”

Meanwhile Gerry Rivera, PALEA president, stated that “PALEA members will respect any picketline that will be setup by FASAP. We will be with them in the picketlines.”

Yesterday FASAP announced the collapse of mediation talks with the Philippine Airlines (PAL) management in the face of the company’s hardline position on the contentious issue of retirement age. The flight attendants union is asking that the retirement age be raised from 40 to 60 years in order to remove the discrimination suffered by the predominantly female flight crew. FASAP declared that it will go on strike anytime by end of October or early November, the start of the peak season.

PALEA also has a pending notice of strike but the dispute over the planned retrenchment of some 3,000 ground personnel has been assumed by the Secretary of Labor and Employment. In comments that PALEA submitted to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz last September 14, it called on her to declare the mass layoff as illegal and to find PAL guilty of unfair labor practice.

“The demand of the flight attendants for higher retirement age is a call for gender equality and an issue of job security. They are too young to retire at age 40 but then too old to find a decent job. These are issues of women workers in general. That is why we support the FASAP fight. Women factory workers will link up arms with them in the event of a strike,” insisted Miranda.

Rivera also argued that fight of the PAL ground personnel against contractualization is a struggle for job security. “One common thread that runs through the grievances of PAL employees—whether ground crew, flight crew and even pilots. That is the demand for job security. We all want regular jobs with decent wages, sufficient benefits, good working conditions and the protection of a union that serves as the workers voice in the workplace. Unfortunately secure and protected jobs contradicts Lucio Tan’s new business model of a union-free and non-regular workforce,” he explained.

PAL ground crew union asks Labor Secretary to void layoff plan

Press Release

September 22, 2010

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the ground crew union of the national flag carrier, called on Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to declare the planned retrenchment of some 3,000 workers as illegal and to find Philippine Airlines (PAL) guilty of unfair labor practice. The call is contained in the comments that PALEA submitted to Secretary Baldoz last September 14.

“On the basis of documents obtained from PAL, it is crystal clear that the financial position of the company does not warrant the retrenchment of some 3,000 union members, and that the company contracted out the services performed by these regular employees contrary to the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between PAL and PALEA,” argued Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of the Partido ng Manggagawa.

PALEA yesterday celebrated its 64^th founding anniversary with a march from the Nichols terminal to the Our Lady of the Airways Parish near the NAIA Terminal 1and then a mass attended by some 200 PAL employees. Score of supporters from PM and other labor groups joined the PALEA anniversary.

Renato Magtubo, PM chair, stated that “The labor movement from its moderate to militant wings stands as one in support of the struggle of PAL employees against contractualization. Should PALEA as one of the oldest and strongest unions get busted then other unions which are younger and weaker will be easy picking for capitalists bent on copying Lucio Tan’s union-free business model.”

Rivera added that “PAL’s audited financial statements for the years 1997 up to 2007, as well as the supplement to the amended and restated rehabilitation plan, show that PAL successfully implemented its rehabilitation plan which belies its claims that its rehabilitation experience is the precursor of the crisis that it now allegedly confronts. After PAL exited from the rehabilitation in 2007, the company’s financial health is revealed by the expansion of its fleet of aircraft. From 35 aircraft in 2008, it increased to 47 aircraft in 2009.”

Rivera also clarified that “The services agreement, dated 15 April 2010, between PAL and Skykitchen Philippines, Inc., and the customer service agreement, dated 16 December 2009, between PAL and ePLDT Ventus Inc., violate the PAL-PALEA CBA by contracting out existing positions and jobs that are presently occupied and performed by the company’s regular employees.”

Skykitchen will takeover the catering department of PAL while ePLDT Ventus will service PAL’s call center operations. PALEA is yet to acquire a copy of the agreement with Skylogistics which will capture PAL’s ground and passenger handling.

The office of the Labor Secretary has assumed jurisdiction of the PAL-PALEA dispute since April 23 in view of a notice of strike filed last January. PALEA has a pending motion of reconsideration to the so-called “midnight decision” allowing PAL to proceed with the layoff that was issued by then Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman last June 15.

Workers rally in support of PAL employees as labor dispute is heard by DOLE

Press Release
May 7, 2010

More than a hundred workers from different groups such as the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), the union of PLDT employees and the labor group Makabayan mobilized in support of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) workers fight against spinoff and contractualization. The solidarity rally was held as the Office of the Labor Secretary (Osec) called the PAL union and management to a mediation meeting this morning.

Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, declared that “We call on the Office of the Labor Secretary make a decision on the PAL dispute that defends security of tenure, promotes regular jobs, respects labor rights and advances workers welfare as explicitly provided for in the Labor Code and the Philippine Constitution.”

The workers also expressed concern that the labor dispute might affect the conduct of the national elections if the conflict remains unresolved. The mediation meeting today called by the Osec is already the second attempt to seek a resolution to the dispute. The first mediation meeting last April 30 ended inconclusively. The OSec assumed jurisdiction (AJ) of the labor dispute based on an order dated April 23, 2010.

The protesters held placards that slammed the planned spinoff of PAL’s airport services, inflight catering and ticketing reservations that will lead to the mass layoff of some 3,000 workers. They slammed the spinoff as the “ugly face of contractualization in PAL.”

The solidarity mobilization came as a result of an appeal by the PAL Employees Association (PALEA) for support. Gerry Rivera, PALEA president, said that “We appeal to our brothers and sisters to set aside organizational, political and ideological divides for working class unity around an issue that concerns all workers. We further ask that solidarity actions be initiated as a continuation of protest actions that PALEA has started but is now enjoined from continuing because of the AJ order.”

“The fight of PAL employees against mass layoffs and labor contractualization is the fight of all Filipino workers. Labor unity and labor solidarity will be a key factor in the victory of the PAL employees’ struggle,” Magtubo.

Givera insisted that “PAL employees will be laid off only to be rehired for the same work in new companies and under new contracts. Regular workers will thus be replaced by contractual labor whose wages are cheaper, benefits are fewer and security of tenure is non-existent. Workers will be sacrificed to maintain the profits of Lucio Tan, already the second richest man in the country.”

“Contractualization is a scourge that has ravaged the working class and the labor movement. The livelihood and lives of workers are destroyed. Unions are busted. Organizing is made so difficult if not impossible. Labor federations and centers are severely weakened,” Magtubo explained. ###