PALEA says protest continues, vows fight not over

Press Release

September 28, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) declared that the protest against layoff and contractualization continues with some 400 Philippine Airlines (PAL) employees picketing the In-Flight Center along

MIA Road

near Terminal 2.

“The fight is not over. Yesterday PAL employees showed that they are solidly in defiance of the layoff and outsourcing plan. While PAL and the government revealed that they will use overwhelming force to break workers’ legitimate protest,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

PALEA condemned the forcible eviction since yesterday afternoon up to early this morning of hundreds of PAL employees in peaceful protest at the Terminal 2, international cargo terminal and catering department. PAL employees Kathleen Yumol, Rhonan Alonzo, Christian Concepcion were hurt in the dispersal at Terminal 2 led by a combined force of hundreds of Centaur security guards and PNP personnel led by Col. Dionalo Antallan.

PALEA also slammed as scabs the replacement workers brought in by PAL after the eviction. The door of an Airbus A340 with aircraft ID 3430 was damaged when a reliever who was an unlicensed PAL staff misused the airstep. “This accident reveals the dangers of inexperienced contractual employees at work. We know that passengers were inconvenienced by the protest but they should understand that airline safety and efficiency is ensured by regular not contractual labor,” Rivera claimed.

A solidarity forum for PALEA sponsored by the Archdiocesan Ministry for Labor Concerns (AMLC) will be held today from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Our Lady of the Airways Parish (OLAP) to be attended by priest and sisters in the Manila archdiocese and representatives of parish pastoral councils, campus ministries, social service coordinators and lay organizations. Last night PALEA and PM members in Cebu staged a rally at the Mactan International Airport in support of the protest vs. layoff and contractualization.

Rivera also criticized Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, who reports said was to coordinate government efforts to resolve the labor dispute. “Ochoa apparently relinquished control to PAL management as it was they ordering PNP personnel and airport police in dispersal operations. Ever since, as author of the Office of the President decision on the outsourcing case, Ochoa has exacerbated rather than resolved the labor row,” he elaborated.

The union blamed PAL for the inconvenience experienced by the public. “PALEA has repeatedly asked PAL to resolve the labor dispute to no avail. Thus PALEA had advised the public of the protest to be held at anytime but PAL foolishly dismissed our warning and kept on assuring passengers that operations will not be disrupted,” Rivera explained.

He added that “We were forced to hold the protest despite typhoon Pedring since PAL had been bringing in scabs and displacing regular employees since last week ahead of the effectivity date of the termination. We hope that PAL’s passengers, especially the overseas workers, appreciate that the typhoon of contractualization is also a national disaster not just to PAL employees but all Filipino laborers.”

Groups hold Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa at the airport

Press Release

April 18, 2011

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and the Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) will hold this afternoon a Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa to highlight the dire plight of Philippine Airlines (PAL) employees and Filipino workers. “Labor contractualization, cheap wages even violent demolitions are heavy crosses for workers to bear. The anti-labor and anti-poor policies of the PNoy government are unfortunately adding to the burden suffered by workers,” declared Renato Magtubo, PM national chair.

“We call on PNoy to give due course to our motion for reconsideration and reverse the ruling penned by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa. We want PNoy himself to speak his mind on contractualization at PAL. PALEA also declares it support for the demand for a wage hike amidst the escalating inflation,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

At 3:00 p.m. today the Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa starts with some 100 PALEA, PM and AMP members reenacting the Stations of the Cross. Some PAL employees will be carrying makeshift crosses while being whipped by other protesters wearing masks of Ochoa, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and former Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman. Another protester wearing a mask of Lucio Tan will be kicking the PAL employees carrying crosses. In another scene, a protester in the character of President Benigno Aquino will put crowns of thorns on the heads of the PAL employees.

In reaction to the controversy over the state of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Rivera explained that “A better airport should also mean better working conditions for workers. Airport workers must enjoy regular jobs. Salaries and benefits for airport workers must be improved.”

PALEA and PM have lambasted the decisions of Lagman and Baldoz allowing the mass layoff of some 2,600 PAL employees and their transfer as contractuals in service providers. The groups have also criticized the Office of the President decision drafted by Ochoa that affirmed the earlier decisions,

By 5:00 p.m. Fr. Erik Adoviso, head of the Archdiocesan Ministry for Labor Concerns, will lead a mass at the Our Lady of the Airways Parish located at the corner of Sucat and MIA Roads. Hundreds of PALEA members are expected to attend the mass. Also at 11:00 a.m. PALEA and PM members will distribute leaflets at the Baclaran Church among churchgoers and passersby.

The Kalbaryo ng Manggagawa is a buildup to the May 1 mobilization to be led by PM, PALEA and other labor groups at Mendiola. Thousands of workers are expected to participate in the Labor Day protest.