Labor group urges MIAA employee, manager to sue Cam using PAL employee case as precedent

Sandra Cam’s impending appointment to the President’s cabinet should not only be reconsidered, the dignity of both the MIAA employee and her manager should likewise be restored, according to labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM).

Cam reportedly made a show by threatening people, dropping names and arrogating imminent power at the airport’s VIP lounge, particularly against a MIAA employee and his/her manager.

“If accounts in news reports were true, then the injured parties particularly the MIAA employee and the manager should file appropriate charges against this narcissistic whistle-blower,” said PM Secretary General, Judy Ann Miranda.

Miranda added: “Workers are trained to abide with established protocols in the workplace. They were not hired to suffer indignity from powers-that-be or worse, from a VIP wannabe.”

PM disclosed that last February, a member of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association, Ms. Sarah-Bonnin Ocampo won a favorable settlement of a case of slander and serious misconduct against former AVE Partylist Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay.  The ex-congressman was forced to make a formal apology as resolution of the case with Ocampo before a municipal trial court in Pasay.

  

The case stemmed from a 2011 incident where Ocampo, PAL’s customer representative during that time at the check-in counter, was berated and offensively called a ‘menopausal bitch’ by the congressman after she refused to grant the latter’s request based on company protocols.

PM welcomed the settlement as a victory for labor and women's rights and a cause for celebration during the obeservance of women's month. "Even more, this resolution sets a precendent and warning against erring government officials or abusive customers against verbally abusing workers who are just doing their job," Miranda explained.

For others the Magsaysay-Ocampo case was ‘too small a thing’ to warrant court action or public attention. But for women activists in the labor movement, any misuse or abuse of power which either arise from the use of brute force by the mighty or from the blind acceptance of the weak should be opposed.

“In the case of Sandra Cam, it is the exploitation of non-existent power against the lowly airport workers.  She can be more dangerous with an official ID from Malacanang,” concluded Miranda.

March 11, 2017

Job security and union membership gave courage to IMF head accuser

Press Release

May 25, 2011

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today pointed out the little known fact that the hotel maid who is accusing Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund and erstwhile possible French presidential candidate, is a union member covered by a contract that guarantees job security.

“This celebrated case of sexual assault could have gone the way of many—unreported and unknown—if the victim had not been an empowered woman because of union protection and security of tenure. Personal courage and union membership gave the immigrant worker from Africa the guts to fight a rich and powerful man,” asserted Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary general.

The hotel maid works in the Sofitel Hotel whose employees are organized and represented by the New York Hotel Trades Council. A collective bargaining contract guarantees security of tenure to their members which mean that unlike ordinary workers in America, they cannot be fired without reason.

“This incident and others like puts a spotlight on the need to protect job security for workers in general and women in particular. Thus we call on Congress to pass the proposed security of tenure bill,” Miranda added. The security of tenure (SOT) bill is due to be reported out by the House Labor Committee for plenary deliberation. “We expect the SOT bill to be just as controversial as the RH bill. This time the Catholic Church will be an ally rather than an antagonist of women workers,” she emphasized.

Miranda stated that “The hotel maid’s case is not exactly the same but is similar to the Philippine Airlines (PAL) ground attendant’s complaint against an abusive politician. Drawing from her personal stores of courage, PAL employee Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo chose to pursue a case against AVE Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay and once she did despite the indifference of PAL, the Philippine Airline Employees’ Association was there to support her. If the hotel maid and Sarah were contractual workers, they would have simply have suffered in silence.”

Miranda argued that “In a context where anybody can be fired at will, a lowly worker victimized by a company client learns to be docile for the sake of her livelihood. Women’s empowerment cannot be divorced from labor rights given the fact that half of the work force is female.”

PM is at the forefront of the campaign against contractualization and the advocacy for the security of tenure bill. It is also active in lobbying for the RH bill and the fight against sexual harassment in the workplace.

PALEA lambasts House Ethics Committee for suspending hearing on “menopausal bitch” case

PRESS RELEASE

17 May 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) lambasted the House Ethics Committee, especially Siquijor Rep. Orlando Fua, Sr., for suspending the hearing on the complaint filed by Philippine Airlines ground attendant Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo against AVE Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay. The hearing was called by the Sub-Committee on Preliminary Inquiry of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for the initial review of the complaint but was suspended on a motion by Rep. Fua on the argument that the complainant was forum shopping.

“The old boys’ network among congressmen has reared its ugly head today. They may have won the battle but not the war. The fight continues until justice is served our sister Sarah. This is a fight of all frontline service workers who suffer indignities from abusive government officials, arrogant customers and even company management,” stated Ginalyn Licayan, head of the PALEA Women’s Committee. PALEA argued that the Ombudsman compliant is a separate criminal case while the Ethics case was for Magsaysay’s conduct as a congressman.

Women members of PALEA and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) trooped to the House of Representatives to support Ms. Ocampo’s fight against Magsaysay. The hearing today was the next step after the House Committee on Ethics earlier found the complaint sufficient in form and substance. The complaint alleges serious misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct unbecoming of a high-ranking public official against Rep. Magsaysay. At the airport last December 17, Rep. Magsaysay shouted “menopausal bitch” and “bitch” several times to Ocampo after she told him that they do not have to power to change seating arrangements in the business class as per his request.

“It is clear to us that the solons have already agreed to kill the case at the Ethics Committee before they opened the hearing. It is apparent that Mr. Magsaysay’s ‘media apology’ not so long ago was no apology at all.  In his statement, Magsaysay justified why he called Sarah a ‘menopausal bitch’ and a ‘bitch’ repeatedly,” explained PM Secretary General Judy Ann Chan Miranda.  How can such an insensitive and arrogant public official serve his constituents well – especially women?   Kapag uminit ang ulo niya, he would resort to name-calling?  The fight is not yet over, Mr. Magsaysay!”

In Magsaysay’s reply to the complaint filed, he justified name-calling Ms. Ocampo a “menopausal bitch” by categorically saying that ‘the term menopausal was used without intention to malign Sarah but rather to describe figuratively the temper of complainant – a medically observed behaviour of middle age women.’  Use of the term bitch on the other hand was justified as ‘a common enough expression not really to slander but rather to express frustration over an unpleasant behaviour of a woman.’

PALEA has also been pushing management to come with a manual that will ensure protection of employees from abusive customers.

PALEA welcomes Ethics Committee finding on “menopausal bitch” case

Press Release
March 3, 2011
PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) welcomed the House Ethics Committee’s approval of the case against Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay for grave slander, serious misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a high ranking public official and direct solicitation of personal favor or gain using his office. Last Tuesday the Ethics Committee as a whole found the PALEA complaint against Magsaysay as sufficient in form and substance. The case is now assigned to the Subcommittee on Ethics for investigation headed by Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan.

“This is a welcome gift for the coming International Women’s Day. PALEA and Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo appreciates the House Ethics Committee for its forthright decision. We call on the Subcommittee to act with dispatch and justice on the complaint. Magsaysay may not lose his seat in the House unlike Singson and Ecleo but he nonetheless deserves punishment for his misdeed,” stated Ginalyn Licayan, PALEA Women’s Committee head.

Last January 17 PALEA and Ocampo filed the case against Magsaysay at the House Committees on Ethics and Privileges. On 17 December last year, while on duty, Magsaysay shouted “menopausal bitch” and “bitch” several times to Ocampo after being told that she does not have to the power to change seating arrangements in the business class as per his request.

In preparation for the Women’s Day commemoration, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and PALEA Women’s Committee will be holding a leaders assembly tomorrow to discuss the pressing concerns of women workers such as Ocampo’s case, the RH bill, the security of tenure bill and plight of migrant workers. They will then have a noise barrage by 1:00 pm at Philcoa. On March 8, hundreds of PM members will assemble by 1:00 at St. Peter’s Cathedral along Commonwealth Ave. then march on to Batasang Pambansa for the big RH bill.

“We wish that Sarah’s fight for justice will blaze a trail in the struggle for workers’ dignity. Service workers in the airline industry and call centers among others suffer indignities in the workplace through no fault of their own but receive no protection from their employers or the government. There are many more Sarahs who need support and protection against abusive officials and insensitive customers,” explained Judy Ann Miranda, secretary general of PM which has been supporting PALEA in its compliant.

“The Ethics Committee recognition of our complaint is already an initial gain as is PAL management’s announcement that it will look into proposals to protect its frontline service workers from indignities and harassment,” Licayan asserted. ###

PALEA holds prayer rally for CBA negotiations

Press Release
February 9, 2011
PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) flexes its muscles anew with a prayer rally today calling for the start of negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL). On Friday afternoon PALEA and PAL will meet at Malacanang for a mediation meeting called by the Office of the President (OP).

Hundreds of PALEA members and a delegation of supporters from Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) marched from the PAL Nichols gate 2 at 2:30 pm to the Our Lady of the Airways Parish (OLAP) for a 4:00 pm mass. The union is pushing for CBA negotiations to begin immediately and an end to the 12-year CBA moratorium.

“Since 1998, the PALEA CBA has been suspended for 10 years and the moratorium was extended again for another two years under the old union leadership. It is time to negotiate better terms and conditions of employment for PAL ground employees,” insisted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

Last January 27, in a union and management consultative meeting, PAL President Jaime Bautista asked PALEA to submit the names of its negotiating panel so that CBA negotiations may start. PALEA had already submitted its draft CBA proposal in October 8, 2010. In the same meeting, PAL said that it will study PALEA’s proposal for manual of operations to protect frontline service workers from indignities and harassment in the wake of the complaint by ground attendant Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo against Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay.

“PALEA must remain vigilant until the CBA negotiations actually start and our mass actions serve this purpose of alerting PAL and the government that we are not complacent,” Rivera clarified.

The OP letter signed by Ronaldo Geron, Assistant Executive Secretary, reads “Towards an amicable settlement of the labor dispute, and/or to elicit facts of information through clarificatory questions for the fair resolution thereof, you are hereby called to a conference on Friday, February 11, 2011 at 2:00p.m. Venue will be at the Conference Room, 4th floor, Mabini Hall, Malacanang compound.”

The theme of PALEA’s march and prayer rally today is “Stop mass layoff, Start CBA negotiations.” Rivera added that “CBA negotiations will be historic since it will mean the end of the dozen year moratorium.”

PALEA calls on House ethics committee to act on complaint vs. Rep. Magsaysay

PRESS RELEASE
1 February 2011
PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and PAL Customer Agent 3 and PALEA member Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo today called on the House of Representative Ethics Committee to find sufficiency in form and substance in the complaint against Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) Party-List Representative Eulogio Magsaysay.

The Ethics Committee convenes 2:00 p.m. and among its agenda is the complaint filed by PALEA and Ocampo. If the House ethics committee finds the complaint sufficient in form and substance then hearings will be called on the merits of the case.

“We are determined in pushing through with our complaints. For the longest time, PAL employees and other frontline service workers, are victimized by abusive politicians and government officials. They need to learn their lesson—that workers, especially women, are human beings, too, who have rights and dignity to should be respected,” explained PALEA Women Committee Head Ginalyn Licayan.

PALEA also filed today a complaint on the same case at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). PALEA members including Ocampo met CHR head Etta Rosales just after 1:00 p.m.

Rosales promised to act on the complaint. After the meeting at CHR, the group proceeded to the Batasang Pambansa and visited the offices of the members of the committees on ethics and gender to help expedite the complaint.

Meanwhile in a labor-management meeting last January 27, PAL stated that it will look into proposals to protect its frontline service workers from indignities and harassment. PAL management also clarified in the meeting that the regrets letter sent to Magsaysay was pro forma. PALEA will submit to PAL its proposed manual to ensure protection of PAL employees from rude customers, including politicians and government officials.

Last January 17 PALEA and Ocampo filed a case against Magsaysay for serious misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct unbecoming of a high-ranking public official at the House Committees on Ethics and Privileges, and Women and Gender Equality.

On 17 December last year, while on duty, Magsaysay shouted “menopausal bitch” and “bitch” several times to Ocampo after being told that she does not have to the power to change seating arrangements in the business class as per request.

PALEA calls PAL’s regrets letter to Magsaysay regrettable

Press Release
January 19, 2011
PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) criticized the management of Philippine Airlines for sending a regrets letter to Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay. “PAL's regrets letter is regrettable for it conveys the wrong message that it is company policy to ignore the abusive behavior and sexist remarks of Magsaysay,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and Partido ng Manggagawa vice chair.

PALEA is demanding from PAL the drafting of a manual of operations for handling customer relations that safeguards the rights of its workers together with specifying the responsibilities of employees to customers. “The saying ‘the customer is not always right’ is wrong. When customers purchase goods or services, they did not buy the dignity of employees serving them. There must be protection for frontline service employees of PAL. The global union International Transport Workers Federation recommends such a manual of operations,” explained Rivera.

“If the regrets letter were a pro forma response from PAL from an unsatisfied customer then it is understandable. But that is not the case here. The regrets letter turns a blind eye to the facts of the case. First, the incident report filed by Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo’s supervisor corroborating her allegations against Magsaysay. And second, Magsaysay’s own admission of guilt and offer of apology,” Rivera argued.

He added that “The regrets letter reveals that PAL is concerned only with its profits and not the welfare of its employees. Workers are treated as disposable rags that are without dignity and can be outsourced. If Ocampo was not a union member protected by a collective bargaining agreement and instead were a contractual employee in a service provider, she would have been laid off by now as Magsaysay had threatened her.”

Meanwhile the labor group PM is appealing to the House and Senate Labor Committees to conduct hearings in aid of legislation to protect service workers from abuse and indignities at the workplace. Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general declared that “Sarah’s fight for justice is a struggle for workers dignity. In the so-called new economy dominated by service workers such as call center agents, there must be policies to safeguard employees from ill-treatment and humiliation by customers.”

PALEA also warned PAL against any form of workplace discrimination on Ocampo arising from her pursuit of the case. “It is bad enough that PAL fails to protect its employees from abuse but it is worse if management were to harass Ocampo due to what it perceives a bad press on the company,” Rivera cautioned.

PAL employee files case at Ombudsman and House Ethics Committee

Press Release
PALEA
January 17, 2011

Philippine Airlines employee Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo and the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) today filed complaints at the Ombudsman and the House Ethics Committee against Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay of the party-list Alliance of Volunteer Educators.

They trooped to the Office of the Ombudsman by 10:00 a.m. and then to the Batasang Pambansa by 1:00 p.m. The cases allege that Magsaysay is guilty of grave slander, serious misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a high ranking public official and direct solicitation of personal favor or gain using his office. Atty. Bernadette Carrasco, legal counsel for Ocampo, said that the Ombudsman case is a criminal complaint while the Ethics Committee case is an administrative one.

“We wish that Sarah’s fight for justice will blaze a trail in the struggle for workers’ dignity. Service workers in the airline industry and call centers among others suffer indignities in the workplace through no fault of their own but receive no protection from their employers or the government. There are many more Sarahs who need support and protection against abusive officials and insensitive customers,” insisted Ginalyn Licayan, head of the PALEA Women’s Committee.

Meanwhile the labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) declared its support for Ocampo’s fight for justice and a contingent from PM joined PALEA members in the activities today.

“Sarah’s fight is the fight of all working women. We call on women workers and women advocates to stand up in support of Sarah against sexism and for dignity,” said Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general. PM and women’s groups participated in a forum this afternoon. In the forum “Stand Up Against Sexism and Abuse of Working Women and Men” held at a restaurant in Quezon City, PM, PALEA and other groups discussed a coordinated campaign for “Justice for Sarah Ocampo, Justice for Women Workers.”

Miranda also questioned Magsaysay’s credentials as a supposed party-list representative. “Magsaysay’s abusive behavior towards a woman employee exposes his pretensions as a representative of the marginalized. What underrepresented sector exactly does Magsaysay’s Alliance of Voluntary Educators speak for? It appears that Magsaysay as an advocate of the marginalized is as fictional as Mikey Arroyo being a representative of tricycle drivers,” she added.

“We call on incoming Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Sixto Brillantes to reform the accreditation process for party-list groups. The last Comelec was universally condemned for accrediting and proclaiming bogus and fake party-list groups in contravention of landmark Supreme Court guidelines,” Miranda asserted.

Labor party supports PAL employee’s fight for justice

Press Release
January 16, 2011

The labor group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) declared its support for Philippine Airlines employee Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo’s fight for justice on the eve of the filing of a case against her abuser Rep. Eulogio Magsaysay. A contingent from PM will accompany Ocampo and the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) in the filing of complaints against Magsaysay at the Ombudsman and the House Ethics Committee tomorrow.

The groups will troop to the Office of the Ombudsman by 10:00 a.m. and then to the Batasang Pambansa by 1:00 p.m. The complaints will allege that Magsaysay is guilty of The complaints will allege that Magsaysay is guilty of grave slander and conduct unbecoming of a high ranking public official among others.

“Sarah’s fight is the fight of all working women. We call on women workers and women advocates to stand up against sexism and for dignity in support of Sarah,” said Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general. PM will join other women’s groups in a forum tomorrow after the filing of cases. In the forum “Stand Up Against Sexism and Abuse of Working Women and Men” to be held at a restaurant in Quezon City, PM, PALEA and other groups will discuss a coordinated campaign for “Justice for Sarah Ocampo, Justice for Women Workers.”

“We hope Sarah’s courageous fight for justice will blaze a trail in the struggle for workers dignity. Service workers in the airline industry and call centers among others suffer indignities in the workplace through no fault of their own but receive no protection from their employers or the government. There are many more Sarahs who need support and protection against abusive and insensitive officials and customers,” insisted Miranda.

Miranda also questioned Magsaysay’s credentials as a supposed party-list representative. “Magsaysay’s abusive behavior towards a woman employee exposes his pretensions as a representative of the marginalized. What underrepresented sector exactly does Magsaysay’s Alliance of Voluntary Educators speak for? It appears that Magsaysay as an advocate of the marginalized is as fictional as Mikey Arroyo being a representative of tricycle drivers,” she added.

“We call on incoming Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair Sixto Brillantes to reform the accreditation process for party-list groups. The last Comelec was universally condemned for accrediting and proclaiming bogus and fake party-list groups in contravention of landmark Supreme Court guidelines,” Miranda asserted.

PALEA demands justice for abused member not mere apology from sexist solon

PRESS STATEMENT
PALEA
12 January 2011

“We want justice for Sarah and for all aviation workers who have suffered abuse from customers, especially politicians and government officials!”

This is the demand of Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) in response to Alliance of Volunteer Educators (AVE) Party-List Representative Eulogio Magsaysay’s “sorry” after members of PALEA and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) picketed his residence in Greenhills, San Juan.

PALEA plans to file cases against Magsaysay at the Ombudsman and House Ethics Committee next week. The Philippine Airlines (PAL) ground crew union is insisting that Magsaysay has liabilities under the law that cannot be simply dismissed through an apology. “Magsaysay must face the consequences of his abusive action and sexist remarks,” argued Ginalyn Licayan, head of PALEA’s Women Committee which is assisting fellow member Sarah Bonnin-Ocampo.

Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of PM which is supporting Ocampo’s fight for justice, claimed that “Sarah’s case is just the tip of the iceberg. Frontline service workers in the airline industry and call centers among others suffer indignities in the workplace through no fault of their own but receive no protection from their employers or the government. Sarah’s fight is a fight for the dignity of workers.”

Licayan quoted from Republic Act No. 6713 or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”, which in the Declaration of Policy found in Section 2 states that: “It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest.”

Licayan also pointed out that according to the Women’s Crisis Centre (WCC), a non-government organization with expertise in assisting violated women and children and which is handling Ocampo’s psychological needs, the verbal abuse that Ocampo was subjected to was tantamount to physical abuse, thus damaging to the dignity and self-confidence of the victim. “Hence, sorry is not enough,” she reiterated.

PALEA also lambasted PAL management’s lack of support for Ocampo. “PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna’s effort to play ‘Pontius Pilate’ smacks of PAL’s callous insensitivity to its workers. During peak season, despite the rush and stress, PAL employees stood their ground and did what management expected from hardworking and loyal employees. But now PAL is shirking from its responsibility to its employees by distancing itself from a workplace issue,” Licayan asserted.

PALEA is demanding that PAL draft a manual of operations instituting protection for employees in situations similar to Ocampo’s case.