Workers welcome return of libreng sakay but oppose planned EDSA busway privatization

Photo from Inquirer

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) welcomed the return of the “libreng sakay” program of the government but expressed opposition to the planned privatization of the EDSA bus carousel.

 “Free rides on EDSA is good news for workers and commuters. But privatizing the EDSA carousel will mean higher fares without better service once implemented. We should have learned our lessons from the epic fail of electricity and water privatization. Electricity rates in the country are the highest in Asia and water concessionaires cannot even provide 24/7 service,” stated Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

The labor leader said workers won’t accept the template of outright privatization as a cure to mismanagement, corruption, and bad governance by those in power. He also countered reports that DOTR’s proposal to privatize the Edsa busway has the support of trade unions.

Magtubo added that “The labor movement’s stand is that privatization is not a panacea to our public transportation problems, and we don’t subscribe to the idea that a privatized transport system is a global standard. Mass transport systems in many economies remain publicly run and efficiently managed.”

PM said that the free ride was beneficial to the working people in terms of saved income and travel time. “Transforming the system into a cooperative-run busway may create an alternative economy, as well as synergy to both the coop workers and the commuting public instead of the typical ‘seller-buyer’ relationship under the privately-run utilities that we had over the past several decades,” Magtubo insisted.

Likewise, Magtubo stressed that the government must retain control of international airports, and may opt to consider other models like cooperatives for the operation of the EDSA busway carousel.

“There are many examples of successful public transportation systems and airports around the world that are owned and controlled by the state, such as those in Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, and Canada. Even the US hasn’t embraced privatization for running its 5,000 public airports, while our neighbor Hong Kong maintains the world’s best in mass transport system. These systems and airports provide affordable and efficient transportation options for the public, while also serving as a vital source of public income and employment,” Magtubo explained.

PM urged the government to listen to the concerns of the people and to prioritize the needs of the public over private interests.

“We stand with the working class and the people in calling for an efficient and equitable transportation system that serves the needs of all Filipinos. What the country needs is a strong, accountable, comprehensive, responsive, effective, and democratic public services,” Magtubo concluded.

13 January 2023
Partido Manggagawa

Labor coalition rejects outright privatization of NAIA and Edsa Busway

The NAGKAISA Labor Coalition expressed opposition to customized proposals to privatize everything like the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the EDSA busway carousel.

“We believe that privatization is not a panacea or an all-out solution to our public transportation problems, and we don’t subscribe to the idea that a privatized transport system is a global standard,” emphasized Nagkaisa Chair Atty. Sonny Matula, saying the state of mass transport systems even in advanced economies remain publicly run and efficiently managed.

The labor leader said workers won’t simply accept the template of outright privatization as cure to mismanagement, corruption, and bad governance by those in power, and to counter reports that DOTR’s proposal to privatize the Edsa Busway has the support of both business groups and trade unions.

The government, he stressed, must retain control of our international airports, and may opt to consider other models like cooperatives for the operation of the EDSA busway carousel.

“There are many examples of successful public transportation systems and airports around the world that are owned and controlled by the state, such as those in Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Singapore, and Canada. Even the US hasn’t embraced privatization for running its 5,000 public airports, while our neighbor Hong Kong maintains the world’s best in mass transport system. These systems and airports provide affordable and efficient transportation options for the public, while also serving as a vital source of public income and employment,” said Matula.

As in the case of the Edsa Busway carousel, the group said the free ride was very beneficial to the working people in terms of saved income and travel time. “Transforming the system into a cooperative- run busway or tramway may create alternative economy, as well as synergy to both the coop workers and the commuting public than the typical ‘seller-buyer’ relationship under the privately-run utilities that we had over the past several decades,” added Matula.

Matula said the coalition is raising this point as regular dialogues with the government on important policies and programs is part of Nagkaisa’s 5-Point Labor Agenda. The others include wage hike and reforms in the country’s wage-fixing mechanisms, end to endo and the full exercise of trade union rights.

“We want the government to avoid fixation with privatization as there are other alternatives to it, especially when mechanisms for genuine people’s participation in policy decisions are activated.  We believe that by working together, we can find a solution that benefits everyone, rather than just select tycoons,” said Matula.

NAGKAISA urges the government to listen to the concerns of the people and to prioritize the needs of the public over private interests.

“We stand with the working class and the people in calling for an efficient and equitable transportation system that serves the needs of all Filipinos. What the country needs is a strong, accountable, comprehensive, responsive, effective, and democratic public services,” concluded Matula.

07 January 2023
NAGKAISA LABOR COALITION

PALEA members forcibly evicted from check-in counters

At the Terminal 2 check-in counters, Centaur security guards and airport police have forcibly evicted PAL employees—many of them women—who have linked up in arms in defense of their ranks. PAL employees Kathleen Yumol, Rhonan Alonzo, Christian Concepcion hurt in the dispersal by combined private security guards and airport police led by Col. Dionalo Antallan

PNP personnel also padlocked the gates of the Our Lady of the Airways Parish grounds where more than 200 PALEA supporters from Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and other groups are holding a program. After PALEA’s legal counsels intervened, the gates were opened by police are still physically blocking the gates. OLAP's Monsignor has allowed the protesters to hold a mass and stay at the grounds.

Meanwhile PALEA and PM members in Cebu staged a rally at the Mactan International Airport in support of the protest action vs. layoff and contractualization.

PALEA holds human chain protest as it claims employees have defied outsourcing plan

Press Release

September 19, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) held a human chain protest this afternoon at the airport as the September 30 termination date of some 2,600 Philippine Airlines (PAL) employees loomed. PALEA also claimed that an overwhelming number of PAL employees have defied the outsourcing plan by not accepting the separation package and not signing up for the work in the service providers.

“As per our monitoring no more than 15% of the total affected employees have claimed the separation offer from management and even less than 7% have applied for jobs in contractual agencies Sky Logistics, Sky Kitchen and SPI Global,” Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and Partido ng Manggagawa vice chair revealed three days after the lapse of the extended deadline for PAL workers to shift to the service providers.

He added that “Today’s human chain protest is part of the continuing campaign to stop the mass layoff and labor contractualization at PAL. PALEA will not stop until we win this fight.” Tomorrow, eve of the anniversary of martial law, PALEA will join other workers groups in a rally at Mendiola to slam government repression in the labor front. On Wednesday, PALEA will assemble its membership on the occasion of its 65^th anniversary.

PALEA is yet to decide whether to attend a dialogue called by the Labor Undersecretary Hans Cacdac tomorrow afternoon. The Labor Department said that it is convening the dialogue as part of its conciliation process to avert strikes. PALEA has however not filed any notice of strike and has declared that its actions are simply protests against a lockout by PAL.

“The one week extension of the original September 9 deadline for terminated workers to apply to the service providers is proof of management’s failure to coerce and cajole PALEA members into accepting the mass layoff. Nobody will work in the service providers since they are bogus and unregistered, and also such will mean a downgrading to contractual status. To cite an example, a senior PAL reservation agent with five years of work experience receives P22,400 in salaries and allowances but is being offered by SPI Global a wage of only PhP 10,000. This is not even the minimum salary and clearly a starvation wage for a family breadwinner,” Rivera explained.

Meanwhile PALEA clarified media reports that their protest today is in support of the nationwide strike of PISTON. Rivera stated that “PALEA and PISTON are fighting for separate and distinct causes. Although similar to PAL employees, jeepney drivers have the right to legitimate protest to seek redress of grievances. We hope our friends in media will be more accurate in their reports since there were also incorrect stories that last Friday’s rally was to commemorate PALEA’s anniversary instead of to protest contractualization.”