Shutdown POGOs, protect victims of crime and labor rights violations – Partido Manggagawa

The Partido Manggagawa (PM) added its voice to the growing public clamour to shutdown the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country, both legal and illegal. But at the same it urges the government to protect and save their workers, both foreign and local, from further injustice after having been victimized by human trafficking and other crimes committed against them by their recruiters and operators.

“Kahit saan tingnang anggulo, batay sa pagdinig sa Senado ay operasyong sindikato ang lumalabas na pag-iral ng mga POGO na ito sa ating bansa. Sino mang protektor ng operasyong ito ay dapat malantad at maparusahan,” declared PM Secretary General Judy Ann Miranda.

POGO operations in the country has come under close scrutiny from the public after news of their illegal operations, tax evasion, and the proliferation of crimes related to it such as human trafficking, sex trafficking and kidnapping, among others, began to surface one after another.

“History would tell us that high-end gambling operations, legal or not, are always accompanied by crimes especially against women as most of the victims of human trafficking, prostitution and sexual abuse are women. Whoever is allowing these things to happen should be guilty of the same crime hence must be prosecuted,” said Miranda.

The group argues that closer ties with China should not make the country more tolerant of these kinds of crimes, including violations of labor rights.

Crimes against women and violations of labor standards, Miranda stressed, have no boundaries hence the Philippine state is duty-bound to apply them to all workers, local or foreign.

“Hindi dahil malayang pinagnenegosyo ng administrasyon ang mga POGO sa bansa ay malaya na rin nilang mapagsamantalahan ang mga manggagawa,” concluded Miranda.

18 February 2020

Solidarity Statement from Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party-Philippines) to the Hong Kong Protest Against Racist Demonstration

The Partido ng Manggagawa as the political party of the working class in the Philippines extends its hand of solidarity to the Hong Kong progressive workers and youth protest against the racist demonstration. The progressive workers and youth counter-demonstration communicates a message of unity and solidarity among peoples of different cultures and nationalities while the racist rally of councilor Paul Tse highlights the propaganda of discrimination and hate between locals and foreigners.

The workers in the Philippines support the anti-racist counter-demonstration not simply to assist our fellow Filipinos working in Hong Kong who are vulnerable and victim to discrimination and abuse. We back the counter-demonstration because we believe in working class unity that in a place like Hong Kong necessarily means solidarity among workers of different nationalities.

There are an estimated 150,000 Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong, most of who are domestic helpers and they comprise a third of such workers in this city. They obviously share the same conditions and interests as other migrant workers such as from Indonesia and Vietnam but also from mainland China, despite the differences in countries of origins, languages and cultures.

Contrary to the lies and propaganda of Paul Tse, migrant workers also share the same concerns and demands as local Hong Kong workers and youth. Because of their common destiny as waged labor, the interests and plight of locals and migrants are bound together. The colors of our skin may be different and we may speak diverse dialects but we are all workers who suffer from the exploitation and oppression of employers.

In fact it is capitalists and their agents like Paul Tse who benefit from splitting the ranks of workers and putting a Chinese wall between local and migrant labor. Only by uniting can workers advance its interests while disunity weakens our cause. Improving the wages and working conditions of migrants will ultimately lead to the betterment of local workers. And vice versa.

As can be seen from the track record of Paul Tse, he is not only a rabid racist but an anti-labor legislator. He was the only one who voted last year against a minimum wage in Hong Kong. Clearly he is not a superman as he advertises himself. But moreover he is not a defender of Hong Kong locals, a majority of whom are workers, as he claims. He is simply a protector of capitalist interests. In pursuit of this agenda, he wants to pit local against migrant workers. In this way, the ranks of the workers will weaken and our demands cannot be advanced by a united labor movement.

The Partido ng Manggagawa calls on our brother and sister migrant workers or OFWs as they called in the Philippines, to join and participate in the anti-racist counter demonstration on August 21.

Workers of the world unite! Manggagawa ng buong mundo, magkaisa!

UNITY STATEMENT: Campaign for the Just Treatment of International Corps of Educators

Over the past decade, the United States saw a growing shortage of teachers especially in inner-city and remote rural schools. This shortage was further compounded with the increased need for highly-qualified teachers as mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 mainly in core areas such as math, science and special education.  In response to this shortage, school districts all over the country looked around the globe to recruit experienced and credentialed teachers to assist the country in educating its children.  This was answered more than willingly by thousands of foreign teachers annually.

The arrival of international teachers was welcomed by different schools nationwide.  Indeed, our country is a nation of immigrants and it is built on the contributions of different peoples from all over the world.  The communities readily embrace these new workers as they are to be part of the continuing story of our nation’s greatness.  Meanwhile, these international teachers are delighted to having accomplished the first step towards a better future for their families – a shot at the American dream.

The other half of the story is not as beautiful as we imagined however.  In the process by which they were recruited and years after they started working, these international teachers are subjected to different forms of deceit and manipulation.  The most common form of exploitation is the charging of illegally exorbitant placement fees and other charges.  But grabbing the opportunity to work in the US, these teachers risked everything, often leaving their respective countries deep in debt.

Ironically, the most recent of these unfair treatment of international teachers stems from a US Department of Labor ruling which is supposed to be against an employer who admitted to breaking the law.  The US DOL Wage and Hour Division found Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) in willful violation of the laws governing the H1B foreign worker program.  By having the recruited teachers pay for various fees that are supposed to be shouldered by the employer, the ruling asserted that this is tantamount to PGCPS not paying the proper wages.

In settlement for the violations, PGCPS and the DOL agreed on the following remedies: (1) PGCPS to pay $4 million in back wages to the teachers; (2) PGCPS to pay $1.7 million civil penalty; and (3) PGCPS is debarred for two years from participating in the H1B program. This DOL ruling, at a glance, is a victory to the H1B teachers who were victimized by illegal fees, and victory to the American workers as well, as the penalty seeks to prevent employers from paying lower wages to foreign counterparts.

The full burden of the ruling’s remedies, however, falls on the victims themselves.  With PGCPS debarred from the H1B program, it will not be able to renew the legal stay of its existing teachers whose H1B visas are set to expire within the next two years.  The school district is also prohibited from filing permanent visa sponsorships for these teachers who, under the intent of H1B program, deserve to become permanent residents of the US.  This results to a series of terminations that by the end of July 2011 alone more than 200 teachers are affected.

We resolutely decry this US DOL ruling as it is patently unjust.  This is the United States of America, a nation that values equality and fairness, a land of opportunities; where those who do well are rewarded and those who violate its laws face the force of justice.  In this DOL ruling, the violator gets a slap on the wrist and the more than 1,000 teachers who are victims are awarded token cash before being sent to the gallows.

Let us be aware that these teachers, most of them from the Philippines, already made extreme personal sacrifices – selling their homes, exhausting their savings, getting high-interest loans, uprooting their families – in order to help our country educate our children.   For almost six years, they have become an active part of our communities.  Sending them back to their respective countries is equivalent to sentencing them to even more severe hardships.

We strongly denounce this US DOL ruling as it contradicts the spirit of the law and sets a bad precedent to future cases.  Further, this will clearly be a powerful disincentive to victims who intend to expose fraudulent recruiting schemes perpetrated by rogue employers.

The law is intended to penalize violating employers but not at the expense of its victims, as that would not serve as a deterrent to unlawful activity, but rather a deterrent to the discovery of wrongdoings in the first place. We are aware that there are numerous investigations currently conducted by the US DOL involving this kind of employer violation.  It is frightening that this ruling will be a possible template for these cases.

We vehemently reject this US DOL ruling as it goes against the interests of the children of Prince George County.  These international corps of educators have strong track records and made important contributions to improving the performance of the school district. They deserve to be commended and not terminated.

Currently, PGCPS needs more highly qualified teachers with the reduction in force implemented the previous years.  Losing 1,000 more of these tested-and-proven credentialed educators who have a head start of knowing the children of Prince George is not only damaging to the school district but is as good as throwing away the investments that will help prepare its students to be globally competitive.

With the points raised above, we, the undersigned organizations, trade unions and federations, community groups and advocacy networks, firmly urge the US Department of Labor to reconsider its ruling.  We insist on a fair and just remedy that will allow current international teachers — the very victims of the violation — to continue their legal stay and employment with PGCPS.

We call on the nation’s legislators to review the laws governing recruitment and employment of foreign workers. We petition for amendments that will bring stronger protection to both American and foreign workers especially those who are victims of fraud and visa violations.

We appeal to other organizations and groups, parents and the public as a whole to unite with the international teachers of Prince George County in their quest for justice. This is not an issue of the teachers alone but a concern affecting the children in our communities.  This is not an issue about the school district alone but a concern of our nation — a nation that is a beneficiary of talents, knowledge and skills of foreign workers.

Justice for the Prince George County international teachers!
Justice for all foreign teachers!

Signatories:

• Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA)
• Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana (FEFL)
• Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC)
• Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party – Philippines)
• Pilipino Educators Network (PEN)
• Pinoy Teachers Network – DC

To sign on to this statement please email to campjustice@gmail.com. See updates at http://campjustice.wordpress.com/

Filipino migrant teachers picket US DOL office

[Photo by teacher Zarelle Bernardo]

Last July 15, 2011, around 300 Filipino teachers and their supporters trooped to the office of the US Department of Labor (DOL) in Washington DC to protest the department's recent decision. The protest action was spearheaded by the Pilipino Educators Network (PEN).

The DOL's decision will affect more than 1000 foreign teachers. These foreign teachers who are mostly from the Philippines are holding H1-B visas.  They are victims of excessive fees by their placement agency and employer (Prince George County Public Schools).  After investigation, the DOL handed down a decision that penalizes the district. However the decision also penalizes the victims even harder by mandating that the employer will not be allowed to renew the teacher's visas for the next two years. This will result in a series of termination of more than 800 Filipino teachers.

Partido ng Manggagawa sent its statement of solidarity and released its position statement in support of the teachers protest action.

Statement On the Plight of Filipino Teachers of Maryland’s PGCPS

July 15, 2011

Lured by the American dream, non-immigrant workers here in the US have been subjected to different forms of exploitation, manipulation and abuse. The complexities of the recruitment process are being taken advantage of by placement agencies and sometimes with the collaboration of representatives of US employers. Oftentimes foreign workers leave their country deep in debt in raising money needed to cover for exorbitant placement and other fees.

Recently, the US Department of Labor found Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools in willful violation of the laws governing the H1B temporary foreign worker program. The DOL cited the school district’s failure to pay the proper wages by virtue of deduction of fees that are supposed to be shouldered by the employer as required by law and its failure to maintain complete documentation.

The same decision also issues the following remedy as a penalty to the school district: (1) the school district is ordered to refund illegally collected fees to foreign teachers as back wages, and (2) debarring the school district for two years from participating in the H1B program. At face value it seems that this DOL decision is a victory to the foreign teachers who have been victims of illegal fees by their employers and also who have been the milking cow of placement agencies who practice shady recruitment schemes.

The problem with the recent DOL decision however is that the debarment of PGCPS from the H1B program will mean not only that the district wouldn’t be able to bring in new foreign teachers but also prohibiting them from filing for the renewal of existing teachers whose H1B visas are set to expire in the next two years. Further the district is prohibited from filing permanent visa sponsorships to those teachers who intends to continue serving their respective schools and become permanent residents of the US.

So in effect, this recent DOL decision will result in a series of termination of Filipino educators and other foreign teachers. Starting this month, more than 1,000 PGCPS teachers will be affected. In penalizing the school district, the DOL is in fact punishing the very victims of this illegal scheme by the employer and the recruitment agency.

We, at Partido ng Manggagawa, believe that the DOL decision is extremely flawed on the following grounds:

1) The DOL decision does not embody justice but on contrary represents appalling injustice. It is a slap on the wrist of the violator and punishes hard the very people who were victimized and originally made the complaint. Also, we can’t help but wonder why the DOL is silent on the role of the placement agency that clearly has some violations and is equally responsible as well.

2) The decision would be a powerful disincentive to other non-immigrant workers in similar circumstances to report illegal recruitment activities by US-based employers and placement agencies. This will discourage other victims from cooperating with DOL and CIS investigations. Foreign workers should be encouraged, not discouraged from filing complaints.

3) The decision sets a bad precedent in cases of other Filipino and foreign teachers who have exposed the anomalies in the process by which they were recruited. One specific example is the struggle of Filipino teachers in Louisiana who stood up for their rights and recently have filed a class suit against their recruitment agency and the school district. And the DOL also have an ongoing investigation on the circumstance of their recruitment.

4) With this decision, the DOL is party to an unfair labor practice that is equivalent to retaliatory action against teachers and union members who initiated complaints against their employer. This kind of ruling would be welcomed by employers who aim to terminate those employees who stand up against them.

5) This decision is also damaging to the interest of the children of Prince George County. These highly qualified foreign teachers have performed well in their responsibility to educate the children of the district. These children deserve these commendable teachers and it is a disservice to have these educators terminated.

It is with these points that the Partido ng Manggagawa is calling for the Department of Labor to retract its original decision and issue a ruling that is fair and just. We appeal to the Department of Labor to live up to its mission of promoting the welfare of working people.

We also call on the Philippine Embassy to intervene with urgency on this matter. We are aware that the embassy in Washington DC is coordinating some efforts. However, with several of these teachers’ visas expiring within this month, there is a need for our embassy to pursue immediate and stronger action. We believe that our embassy consider a possible lodging of a diplomatic protest as this is a clear injustice to our citizens -- our teachers who came here to help fill in the teachers’ shortage, sold their properties and were victimized by illegal and exorbitant charges, worked hard to educating American children, only to be terminated by a violation that they did not commit.

Lastly we call on all Filipino teachers of Prince George County to unite and move as one in pushing for your rights. The Filipino and the Filipino-American community are behind you. The workers movement is behind you. Stand up and let your voices be heard. It is imperative that you move together and you move now.

Mabuhay ang manggagawang Pilipino!

Mabuhay ang gurong Pilipino!

Signed:

Renato Magtubo
Chairperson

Ian Seruelo
US - Liaison Officer

Filipino migrant teachers in Louisiana win POEA case

Press Release

May 22, 2011

The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) found in favor of ten Filipino migrant teachers deployed to Louisiana, USA in an administrative case against their recruiter. In a decision dated May 9, 2011, the POEA cancelled the license of the local-based recruitment agency, imposed fines and awarded refund to the complainants.

“We welcome the victory of the brave Filipino migrant teachers of Louisiana. This comes in the wake of earlier awards by the Louisiana Work Commission (LWC) to the teachers for violation of labor laws in the US by their US-based recruiter. Hopefully illegal recruiters will learn a lesson from the courageous fight put up by the teachers,” stated Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

PM is assisting the Filipino migrant teachers in their organizing efforts through a US-based liaison officer and in their legal case here in the Philippines. Among the complainants who won an award from the POEA is Mairi Nunag-Tanedo who is executive vice president of the Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana (FEFL), the organization formed by the US-based teachers in pursuit of their campaign for justice against their illegal recruiters.

“We encourage other teachers who have been similarly victimized by PARS and UPI or other illegal recruiters to come out and fight for your rights. We will support you and through perseverance, you will surely win as the precedent of the Louisiana teachers have shown,” Miranda added.

In the decision signed by POEA Administrator Carlos S. Cao, Jr., the local-based PARS International Placement Agency and the US-based Universal Placement International (UPI) was found guilty of overcharging of fees. The license of PARS was ordered cancelled, and its officers and directors of the agency at the time the offense was committed were also prohibited from engaging in the business of overseas placement. Fines were also imposed on PARS. Finally, refunds in amounts ranging from USD 4,583.33 to USD 7,169.33 were awarded to each of 10 complainants. They had originally paid around $15,000 as placement and other fees.

Moreover UPI was prohibited from participating in the overseas placement program of the government. The owners of PARS and UPI, Emilio V. Villarba and Lourdes Navarro respectively, were also put in the POEA’s list of people with derogatory records. These two entities, according to PM and FEFL are owned and operated by one family since Villarba and Navarro are siblings.

In separate cases filed by some 15 teachers more than a year ago, the two agencies were accused of over-charging their clients of placement and other fees, and contract violations. Last April 10, 2010, the LWC ruled that UPI had charged the teachers certain fees which were prohibited and premature under state laws, and ordered it to repay the Filipino teachers $1.8 million in illegally charged fees.

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.

PAL Labor Dispute Brief

The intended mass dismissal of more than two 2,600 rank-and-file employees of Philippine Airlines, Inc., who are members and officers of Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), is in violation of the law and the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) of PAL and PALEA.

In August 2009, during the period for the negotiation of a new CBA between PAL and PALEA, PAL announced its intention to close several departments of the company (In-Flight Catering operations, Airport Services operations and Call Center Reservation operations) and “outsource” its functions to various service providers. The intended closure and “outsourcing” would affect around 70% of PALEA’s membership and the total number of rank-and-file employees, 62% of the union leadership, and around 35% of the total employee complement of PAL.

PALEA maintains that the mass retrenchment is invalid and constitutive of unfair labor practice:

1.) It violates the law and the parties’ CBA.

   1.a) The termination of thousands of its regular employees is not necessitated by the company’s financial situation.

   1.b) PAL violated the CBA provision against labor contracting.

   1.c) PAL violated the CBA provision on Job Security.

2.) It violates Article 248 of the Labor Code, and Department Order No. 18-02.

    2.a) Despite PAL’s insistence, what it planned to do was not a “spin-off” but an “outsourcing,” which is equivalent to contracting-out of services.

There is no spin-off of company departments in this case. No subsidiary corporation was formed by PAL, and not one of its divisions was transformed into an independent company. What is involved here is contracting out of functions wherein regular rank-and-file employees and union members will be terminated and the functions that they are performing will be farmed out to service providers. Worse, the terminated regular employees themselves are envisioned to be the employees of the service providers, i.e. upon their termination, they will just be transferred to a different employer but will be performing the same tasks that they had been performing as regular employees of PAL.

Contracting out, whether labor-only contracting or legitimate job contracting, is absolutely prohibited by the parties’ CBA. Section, 4, Article XXIV states:

“Section 4. The Company undertakes not to contract out existing positions, jobs, divisions, and departments presently occupied by present or future regular employees within the collective bargaining unit.”

There are no sufficient bases for retrenchment. Retrenchment is a measure of last resort which should only be undertaken in case of serious and imminent losses. A close review of the financial statements and disclosures of PAL reveals that its business condition is improving and not deteriorating, thereby negating the necessity for retrenchment.

The mass termination of employees constitutes unfair labor practices. It will dissipate union membership and will exclude from the coverage of the bargaining unit the positions that are now held by union members. This will result to the abolition of PALEA. This grim scenario is made even worse when the timing for implementing the retrenchment program is considered. The contracting out of the various departments and the consequent retrenchment of union members are being undertaken at a time when a new CBA between the parties is about to be negotiated. It should not be amiss to state that the CBA negotiation is being proposed by PALEA after more than a decade of suspension of the CBA between the parties. It is aimed at defeating the negotiation of a new CBA.

Job security is also the demand of the PAL pilots and flight crew. Thus PAL management is faced with a three-front war with its airline pilots, flight crew and ground personnel because of its drive to demolish job security, replace regular employees with contractual workers and bust the remaining unions in the company.

The public should know the truth. PAL keeps on repeating the lie that it is losing money and so the workers will have to be the burden of its rehabilitation. Of course PAL will be in the red because the sources of revenues, even its assets, have been transferred to sister companies like MacroAsia and Air Philippines. PAL’s maintenance and engineering department was shifted to MacroAsia and so expenses are charged to the former but the income is reflected in the latter. PAL ground personnel in the outlying stations services Air Philippines so the costs are borne by the former but latter keeps the savings.

Contractualization at PAL is just the tip of the iceberg. In factories, shops, offices and malls contractual workers are working side-by-side with regular employees in doing the same job for lesser pay and worse working conditions. We demand that Congress institute reforms to enhance job security and stop contractualization schemes. PALEA calls for a stop to the race to the bottom in working conditions and labor standards. Ang kontraktwalisasyon ay baluktot na landas.

In the conciliation meeting between PAL and PALEA last Thursday, management moved for the Labor Secretary to decide on the legality of the planned layoff. On the other hand PALEA is asking that mediation continue until an agreement acceptable to both sides is forged.

Contractualization is the cause of PAL labor row

Press Statement
August 17, 2010
Gerry Rivera
President. PAL Employees’ Association (PALEA)
Vice Chairperson, Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)

The scourge of labor contractualization lies at the root of the labor dispute at Philippine Airlines. The contracting out of jobs of the ground personnel will lead to the massive layoff of some 3,000 PAL employees. Regular employees will be retired from PAL only to be rehired as contractual workers in companies owned by Lucio Tan’s Kamag-anak Inc. These companies will be money-earning service providers to PAL and so we end up doing the same work as before but for cheaper pay, less benefits and no security of tenure.

Job security is also the demand of the PAL pilots and flight crew. Thus PAL management is faced with a three-front war with its airline pilots, flight crew and ground personnel because of its drive to demolish job security, replace regular employees with contractual workers and bust the remaining unions in the company.

The public should know the truth. PAL keeps on repeating the lie that it is losing money and so the workers will have to be the burden of its rehabilitation. Of course PAL will be in the red because the sources of revenues, even its assets, have been transferred to sister companies like MacroAsia and Air Philippines. PAL’s maintenance and engineering department was shifted to MacroAsia and so expenses are charged to the former but the income is reflected in the latter. PAL ground personnel in the outlying stations services Air Philippines so the costs are borne by the former but latter keeps the savings.

The Department of Labor and Employment has assumed jurisdiction (AJ) of the PAL labor dispute and this has enjoined PALEA from proceeding with a strike. The AJ should also stop management from making any actions that will exacerbate the dispute. However in violation of the AJ, PAL is shifting work from its in house call reservations center to an outside contractor. Reservations calls are being rerouted to ePLDT Ventus while dropped calls are answered by PAL’s call center department. Thus regular jobs are being transferred to an outside contractor and only excess work is maintained in PAL.

Contractualization at PAL is just the tip of the iceberg. In factories, shops, offices and malls contractual workers are working side-by-side with regular employees in doing the same job for lesser pay and worse working conditions. We demand that President Aquino make concrete his promise that democracy should work for all by instituting reforms to enhance job security and stop contractualization schemes. We call for a stop to the race to the bottom in working conditions and labor standards. Ang kontraktwalisasyon ay baluktot na landas.

In the conciliation meeting between PAL and PALEA last Thursday, management moved for the Labor Secretary to decide on the legality of the planned layoff. On the other hand PALEA is asking that mediation continue until an agreement acceptable to both sides is forged.

But even as we negotiate in good faith we have to be prepared for all eventualities including the necessity of a strike if the planned layoff pushes through. Thus we are appealing for support and understanding from fellow workers, institutions such as the Church and the broad public. Our job is our life and if necessary we will strike to defend our livelihood for the sake of our families.

Statement of Continuing Support for the Filipino Migrant Teachers

The Partido ng Manggagawa once more expresses its solidarity with the fight of the Filipino Educators Federation for labor justice and migrant rights. Your struggle inspires not just kababayans abroad and labor groups in the US but also workers in the homefront. News of your sacrifices and the victories you have achieved has reached the Philippine shores since the initial efforts and up to the latest filing of a class suit.

The class suit is a new front of battle so to speak. Again it will test the unity and resolve of the Filipino migrant teachers. Despite the gains you have achieved, supporters of the illegal recruiter Lulu Navarro will not weaken but grow even more desperate in sabotaging and resisting your endeavors.

But we have confidence in your strength and unity. Over the course of two years of struggle, you have proven yourselves worthy. We hope you the best in the class suit. Rest assured that not just your families back home but the workers movement in Philippines supports your fight.

Isa para sa lahat. Lahat para sa isa. That is the essence of bayanihan. That spirit of bayanihan that has guided your fight and eluded previous efforts at organizing Filipinos in the US will see you through thick and thin.

That same spirit of bayanihan animates the reviving struggles of the labor movement in the Philippines such as the export zones workers who have been ravaged by the effects of the global crisis and the Philippine Airline employees who are resisting the attempt of the second richest Filipino to turn them into contractuals who have less pay, no benefits and no security of tenure.

Mabuhay ang FEF! Mabuhay ang mga manggagawang Pilipino!

August 15, 2010

PAL labor row intensifies as ground crew union prepares for strike

Press Release
August 12, 2010

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the ground crew union at Philippine Airlines (PAL), met management in a mediation meeting this afternoon at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) but announced that it is prepared to do everything to stop the disputed contracting out of jobs. “Our job is our life and if necessary we will strike to defend our livelihood for the sake of our families,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) vice chairperson.

PALEA’s readiness to strike intensifies the labor row at PAL with none of the resigned pilots returning and the flight attendants union threatening to stop work unless the deadlock in collective bargaining negotiations is resolved. PAL’s ongoing labor dispute with its ground crew arose out of the planned contracting out of jobs that will lead to the layoff of some 3,000 employees. Workers in airport services, inflight catering and ticketing reservations will be retrenched and then rehired as contractuals in service providers also owned by Lucio Tan to do the same job for less pay and no job security.

“PAL is faced with a three-front war with its airline pilots, flight crew and ground personnel because of its drive to demolish job security, replace regular employees with contractual workers and bust the remaining unions in the company. We are asking the government of P-Noy through Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to review the policy on contractualization and strengthen protection for job security or else it faces a wave of labor unrest,” explained Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson.

PM members joined PALEA and other labor groups in a picket today to ask the DOLE to tighten regulations and plug loopholes that have allowed employers to massively supplant regular work with contractual labor. “In factories, shops and offices contractual workers are working side-by-side with regular employees in doing the same job for less pay, no benefits and without security off tenure. Contractualization at PAL is simply the tip of the iceberg. We demand that President Aquino make concrete his promise that democracy should work for all by instituting reforms to enhance job security and stop contractualization schemes,” argued Magtubo.

The mediation meeting today arose out of PALEA’s pending motion for reconsideration of the former Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman’s “midnight decision” that affirmed PAL management’s prerogative to contract out jobs of ground crew. “We welcome the preference of Secretary Baldoz to mediate the dispute on job contracting in PAL unlike Lagman who unilaterally issued a midnight decision favoring management. But even as we negotiate in good faith we have to be prepared for all eventualities including the necessity to strike if the planned layoff pushes through,” Rivera stated.

Kontraktwalisasyon sa PAL, idudulog ng mga manggagawa sa Kongreso

PRESS RELEASE
9 August 2010

Susugod sa Batasan Complex ang mga empleyado ng Philippine Airlines ganap na ala-una ng hapon mamaya para idulog sa Kongreso ang kanilang mga hinaing laban sa kompanya na pag-aari ni Lucio Tan.

Ayon kay Gerry Rivera, pangulo ng Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), idudulog nila sa Kamara ang pinaplanong malawakang tanggalan at kontraktwalisasyon sa PAL kung saan maaring umabot sa 3,000 empleyado ang maapektuhan.

Kasama ng PALEA sa isasagawang pagkilos ang mga kinatawan ng KONTRA, ang alyansa ng ibat-ibang samahan ng manggagawa na lumalaban sa patakaran ng kontraktwalisasyon.

Alas dos ng hapon ay nakatakdang maghain ng resolusyon sa Kamara si Akbayan Representative Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao kaugnay ng kontraktwalisasyon sa PAL at alas kwatro naman ay magsasagawa ng privilege speech sa parehong isyu ang kinatawan ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines na si Congresman Raymond Mendoza.

Sinabi ni Rivera na gaya ng reklamo ng mga piloto na downgrading ng kanilang status, ang mga ground crew at flight attendant ng PAL ay nangangamba rin sa kanilang job security dahil balak nang kompanya na magbawas ng empleyado at gawing kontraktwal ang mga regular sa pamamagitan ng isasagawang outsourcing ng ibat-ibang serbisyo ng PAL gaya ng passenger handling, cargo handling, at customer care. Sa mga flight attendants naman ay ibaba sa 40 ang kanilang retirement age, bagay na labis nilang tinututulan.

Lahat umano ng balakin ng kompanya para makawala sa pagkalugi ay pawang kontra sa kapakanan ng manggagawa at tahasang paglabag sa mga istandard ng paggawa na kinikilala ng ating mga batas at international conventions.

Nakakamuhi umanong isipin na habang hinihikayat pabalik ng PAL ang mga nagbitiw na piloto ay sinisipa naman nito palayo ang libu-libo pa nitong empleyado.

Ayon naman kay Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general ng Partido ng Manggagawa, nararapat lang na makialam ngayon ang Kongreso sa problemang ito, kabaliktaran ng pananahimik nito sa isyu noong1998 nang ipatupad ang iligal na 10 taong moratorium sa CBA ng PALEA at PAL.

Bukas ng umaga ay nakatakda rin umanong magharap sa deparment of labor ang management at mga lider ng Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (FASAP) para naman sa matagal nang ibinibinbin na CBA negotiations sa kanila ng PAL management.

Filipino teachers in US file class suit vs oppressive recruiters

Press Release August 6, 2010

Filipino migrant teachers in Louisiana today (August 5, US Central Time) filed a class lawsuit against Universal Placement International (UPI) and its Philippine based partner, PARS International for various offenses ranging from racketeering, human trafficking, extortion and mail and wire fraud.

Hundreds of Filipino migrant teachers who are working under H1-B visa and are deployed in several school districts in Louisiana are represented in the class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs are spearheaded by the Filipino Educators Federation (FEF) of Louisiana, a group formed to organize the victims of the recruitment agencies and pursue efforts against these same agencies.

Also named as respondents in the complaint are Lourdes “Lulu” Navarro and Hothello “Jack” Navarro of UPI, Emilio Villarba of PARS International; UPI’s law firm Silverman and Associates and lawyer Robert Silverman; and the East Baton Rouge School District and three of its former and one current officers.

The lawsuit arouse from the illegal and highly exorbitant amount that were charged to the Filipino teachers. The recruitment agencies were never transparent and always seemed to come up with additional payments. When teachers attempt to complain or question the policies of the agency they were threatened to be sued or fired or deported back to the Philippines. Aside from the illegal charges, the teachers were intimidated to sign lopsided contracts.

During a press conference held to announce the filing of the suit, a press statement was read by Ingrid Jomento-Cruz, FEF President. “We never imagined that an oppressive racketeering trap was laid before us. Universal Placement International or UPI and its Philippine-based conduit, PARS International, created a non-transparent scheme that starts with earning your trust, then proceeds with a series of payment collection laced with subtle intimidation and then followed through with fraud, coercion and open extortion. We were herded onto a path, a slowly constricting path, where the moment you realize that something is not right, you were already way past the point of no return.”

“This oppressive scheme of UPI and PARS wouldn’t have been totally successful without the knowledge, tolerance and support from individuals who acted on behalf of the School System. We cannot deny the fact that they cooperated with the recruiters or failed to object to actions that they knew were highly questionable if not downright illegal.”

While the East Baton Rouge School District was named as one of the respondents, Jomento-Cruz underscored that they have no animosity against their current employer. “We would like to make it clear that we harbor no ill will towards the Louisiana School System… The new superintendent has paid attention to our concerns and has closely monitored the problems we have encountered…Let me also use this opportunity to declare once again that we continue to have a strong commitment to our students, and will continue to serve the district for we believe that the actions by some individuals within the EBR School District do not represent the values of the institution and the people of Louisiana.”

“The exploitation of migrant workers is an ongoing and a growing problem here in the US. This lawsuit is again another arena of battle to expose these entities that are out to exploit migrant labor. PM joins the call for stronger legislation that will ensure the protection of the rights of migrant labor,” said Ian Seruelo, US Liaison officer of the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM Labor Party).

According to the FEF statement, the objective of the legal action “is to ensure that these exploitative practices end now. We do not want this to happen to any other teachers who come here from the Philippines or anywhere else. And we can not stop these oppressive schemes unless everyone involved understand that they cannot simply look the other way when they encounter abusive practices by recruiters.”

Representing the Filipino teachers is a legal team assembled by the Southern Poverty Law Center and American Federation of Teachers (AFT). AFT and Louisiana Federation of Teachers (LFT) have been instrumental in the struggle of the Filipino teachers. In the Philippines, PM and the PSLINK labor confederation are assisting the teachers’ efforts.

Justice to Filipino migrant teachers!

Filipino Educators Federation (FEF) – Louisiana
Press Statement
August 5, 2010

Two to three years ago, we made a big sacrifice. We decided to leave our country and start a new life as teachers in a foreign land. At first, we were hesitant to leave our families, our children and our friends; our very own community and the pupils whom we have served and learned to love.

However, the aspiration of securing a better future for our families made our decision easier. We all believe that America is a land full of promise – a promise of opportunity for ourselves and stable future for our families.

So we started our journey, sacrificed all to raise the needed resources, borrowed money from lending agencies, put ourselves deep in debt, selling our properties, resigned from our respective jobs, practically putting in line the very future of our children, of our families.

We never imagined that an oppressive racketeering trap was laid before us. Universal Placement International or UPI and its Philippine-based conduit, PARS International, created a non-transparent scheme that starts with earning your trust, then proceeds with a series of payment collection laced with subtle intimidation and then followed through with fraud, coercion and open extortion. We were herded onto a path, a slowly constricting path, where the moment you realize that something is not right, you were already way past the point of no return.

Of course, this oppressive scheme of UPI and PARS wouldn’t have been totally successful without the knowledge, tolerance and support from individuals who acted on behalf of the School System. We cannot deny the fact that they cooperated with the recruiters or failed to object to actions that they knew were highly questionable if not downright illegal. This is tantamount to aiding and abetting the illegal and oppressive operation of the recruitment agency.

We, members of the Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana, would like to make it clear that we harbor no ill will towards the Louisiana School System. We want to emphasize that we love this community and we now consider Louisiana as our home. We think of our students as our own kids. The new superintendent has paid attention to our concerns and has closely monitored the problems we have encountered. And we have had tremendous support from the East Baton Rouge community. We will continue to give our 100 percent to our teaching vocation as we strive to push our students for a brighter future. Let me also use this opportunity to declare once again that we continue to have a strong commitment to our students, and will continue to serve the district for we believe that the actions by some individuals within the EBR School District do not represent the values of the institution and the people of Louisiana.

Now, we are here before you to make public our filing of a class action lawsuit against these abusive recruitment agencies and against all others who are responsible in perpetrating these serious violations against human dignity.

This is going to be a long battle but we are steadfast in our resolve to correct the wrongs that were committed. We are here to assert that there is no room for these oppressive and exploitative schemes in a civilized society. The goal of our lawsuit is to ensure that these exploitative practices end now. We do not want this to happen to any other teachers who come here from the Philippines or anywhere else. And we can not stop these oppressive schemes unless everyone involved understand that they cannot simply look the other way when they encounter abusive practices by recruiters.

We have learned a lot from these experiences, from these struggles. And we are very fortunate to have the support of the American Federation of Teachers, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, the East Baton Rouge Parish Federation of Teachers, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the law firm Covington and Burling, and the Filipino community here in Louisiana; as well as Philippine-based groups that work with us, the PSLINK labor confederation and the Philippine labor party. We owe a great deal to all of them for they have given us the courage and support to stand up for our rights and have magnified our voice when nobody listened.

Now as we continue to embark on our enduring journey, we call on our colleagues in the Louisiana School System and to the public to support our cause as this is not just a migrant teachers issue but an issue of public interest, an issue that concerns respect for human rights and an issue that concerns the education of our children.

Justice to Filipino migrant teachers! Justice to all migrant workers!

Job security at the heart of recurring labor problems in PAL

PRESS RELEASE
August 5, 2010

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) agreed with Malacanang’s initial view that the problems besetting the Philippine Airlines (PAL) is more than the pilots’ decision to seek better paying jobs elsewhere.

The group insists that at the heart of the continuing labor disputes in PAL is job security and the regression in labor standards in the flag carrier.

“A regression in labor standards in Asia’s first airline is a scorn to Filipino’s pride that is supposed to be flying high with the flag carrier,” said the group in a statement.

Partido ng Manggagawa chair Renato Magtubo, said the current resignations of PAL pilots, the ground crews’ struggle against spinoff and contractualization and the flight attendants fight for job security, “all speak of deteriorating labor standards at the flag carrier and as such warrant an active intervention if the government intends to correct this rocky labor-management relations in PAL.”

Magtubo, who’s group has been involved with the PAL employees struggle for job security since the 1998 strike believes that the pilots’ mass resignations and the company’s unresolved disputes with the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and the Flight Attendants and Stewardees Association of the Philippines (FASAP) may again lead to a full-blown strike if the company refuses to heed the employees demands and the government fail to carry out proper intervention.

Proper government intervention, according to Magtubo, can be done by invoking not just the ‘national interest’ but also the ‘social justice’ provision of the Constitution declaring a State policy recognizing the primacy of labor over capital.

On Agust 12, PALEA has a scheduled conciliation meeting with the management and the labor department on the planned spinoff of PAL’s ground handling operations to other Tan companies. The plan will result to the mass layoff of some 2,600 ground crew pesonnels as they shift from regular to contractual work arrangements with the spinoff companies.

PALEA describes the plan as a ‘massive contractualization of regular employees’ thus it is seeking the reversal of the ‘midnight decision’ by then acting secretary Romeo Lagman rendering legality for the planned contractualization scheme.

The FASAP is also struggling against the lowering of their retirement age to 40 and several other issues affecting their job security.

Labor group cautions government against PAL takeover

Press Release
August 3, 2010

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) expressed caution on the proposal for a government takeover of Philippine Airlines (PAL) in case the labor row with pilots is unresolved. “The government can exercise eminent domain and police power to takeover PAL if the labor problems are unsettled but that will only sweep the dirt under the rug without actually cleaning the house. Unless the grievances of the airline pilots, flight attendants and ground crew are redressed now then labor unrest will simply simmer and explode later,” argued Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson.

The labor group instead called on the Aquino government to mediate PAL’s labor dispute with the aim of addressing the workers’ demands. “A better option is for the Aquino government to apply social justice so it can resolve the problem of contractualization that lies at the root of labor unrest at PAL. PAL is not simply competing with Cebu Pacific but they are copying the contractualization scheme that is rampant in its rival,” Magtubo asserted.

Gerry Rivera, PM vice-chairperson and president of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), emphasized that “Contractualization is the cause of deteriorating working conditions at PAL. PAL farmed out its pilots to sister company Air Philippines and thereby effectively demoted them. How can you fault the pilots then for leaving the sweatshop conditions at PAL for the good pay, regular status and better working environment offered abroad?”

Aside from the pilots’ resignation, PAL is faced with an ongoing labor dispute with its ground crew over the planned contracting out of jobs that will lead to the layoff of some 3,000 employees and the threat of a strike by flight attendants over a deadlock in collective bargaining negotiations. Rivera declared that the ground crew, flight attendants and PAL pilots are now in talks in order to defend job security and working conditions at the country’s biggest domestic and international carrier.

He also announced that PALEA is scheduled to attend a conciliation meeting called by the Department of Labor and Employment on August 12. PALEA has a pending motion for reconsideration of the former Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman’s “midnight decision” that affirmed PAL management’s prerogative to contract out jobs of ground crew to third party companies that employees alleged are also owned by Lucio Tan.

Aside from a reform of the policy on labor contractualization, PM is also calling on the government to lift the six-month prior notice on the migration of workers who are categorized as mission-critical skills for unduly disadvantaging labor.

Labor group asks PNoy to lift ban on migration of skilled workers

Press Release
August 2, 2010

In the face of the PAL pilots’ issue, the Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) asked the Aquino government to lift the six-month prior notice on the migration of workers who are categorized as mission-critical skills. Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, said that “Banning the migration of skilled workers by six months disadvantages labor and favors capital. There is an opportunity cost on workers which government and employers cannot possibly repay. After the six month ban, there is no assurance that offers still exist for skilled workers who just dream of a better life for their families. If employers want to retain skilled workers in the country then they must match the good pay, regular status and better working conditions offered abroad.”

The labor group also called on both the government and PAL not to punish the 25 pilots who have resigned by filing criminal and administrative charges. “It behooves the Aquino government, even PAL management, to think of the root causes and review policies that discriminate against labor. Both government and PAL face a full-scale war with PAL pilots, flight attendants and ground crew if an iron-fist policy is used on labor,” Magtubo argued.

PAL is faced with an ongoing labor dispute with its ground crew over the planned contracting out of jobs that will lead to the layoff of some 3,000 employees and the threat of a strike by flight attendants over a deadlock in collective bargaining negotiations. Gerry Rivera, PM vice-chairperson and president of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), revealed that they are working to unite the ground crew, flight attendants and PAL pilots to defend job security and working conditions at the country’s biggest domestic and international carrier.

Rivera explained that “The abrupt resignation by the PAL pilots is rooted in management’s drive to make all of its employees contractual instead of regular. The pilots resigned not simply because they were poached by other airlines with offers of better pay. The pilots were enticed by better working conditions which assure them of security of tenure and good benefits unlike their status as contractuals in PAL.”

PALEA is scheduled to attend a conciliation meeting called by the Labor Department on August 12. “We welcome the preference of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to mediate the dispute on job contracting in PAL unlike the former Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman who unilaterally issued a midnight decision favoring management,” Rivera stated.

He added that “The Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines was busted in 1998 so the pilots’ discontent was expressed in individual resignation instead of collective protest. But their deteriorating working conditions are no different from that experienced by flight attendants and ground crew.”

Militant workers, ground crew call on PAL not to file cases vs. pilots

Press Release
August 1, 2010

The militant group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and the ground crew union Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) called on the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) not to file cases against the pilots who abruptly resigned. Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice-chairperson, urged PAL to “Think twice before swinging the Damocles sword on the heads of the pilots lest the company face a three-front war against all of its employees.”

PAL is faced with an ongoing labor dispute with its ground crew over the planned contracting out of jobs that will affect some 3,000 employees and the threat of a strike by flight attendants over a deadlock in collective bargaining negotiations. Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson challenged the ground crew, flight attendants and airline pilots to unite to defend job security and working conditions at the country’s biggest domestic and international carrier.

Rivera explained that “The pilots resigned not simply because they were poached by other airlines with offers of better pay as PAL’s propaganda releases state. The pilots were enticed by better conditions which assure them of security of tenure and good benefits unlike their status as contractuals in PAL. The impromptu resignation by a dozen PAL pilots is the damaging results of management’s drive to make all of its employees contractual instead of regular.”

“The Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines was busted in 1998 so the pilots’ discontent was expressed in individual resignation instead of collective protest. But their deteriorating working conditions are no different from that experienced by flight attendants and ground crew. All for one, one for all in the fight against labor contractualization and union busting by PAL,” Rivera added.

Meanwhile Magtubo appealed to the Aquino government to review the policy prohibiting the migration of workers classified as mission-critical skills. “Prohibiting the migration of skilled workers by six months is unduly discriminatory on labor and one-sidedly favors capital. After the six month ban, there is no assurance that the offers remain for these skilled workers who just want a better life for their families. If capitalists want to retain skilled workers in the country then they must match the good pay, regular jobs and better working conditions offered abroad.”
PM reiterated its support for the fight of PALEA and the flight attendants. PALEA is scheduled to attend a conciliation meeting called by the Labor Department on August 12. “We welcome the preference of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to mediate the labor dispute unlike the former Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman who unilaterally issued a midnight decision favoring PAL management,” Rivera stated.

Filipino teachers group receives US union’s Democracy Award

Press Release
July 11, 2010
Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana

A newly formed Filipino teachers group based in Louisiana, USA received yesterday (July 9 US Pacific Time) a prestigious award conferred by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a large US-wide union of teachers and professionals.

In a national convention of the AFT, the Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana (FEFL) was awarded the President’s International Democracy Award. This award was created two years ago by AFT “to highlight the continuing struggle for human rights around the world.”

In an earlier letter to FEFL informing of the award, AFT stated, “We have selected your organization for your perseverance in fighting against the abusive treatment of placement agencies, its dedication to promote the rights and welfare of all educators and migrants and its commitment to the democratic and legal system.”

In the letter addressed to Ingrid Jomento-Cruz, the founding President of FEFL, AFT further said “AFT leaders and staff have witnessed the immense courage you and your colleagues have displayed in the face of great adversity.”

Jomento-Cruz, also an active member of AFT, received the award in behalf of the Filipino teachers group. Jomento-Cruz and other Filipino teachers have been instrumental in organizing the efforts of Filipino migrant teachers against the abuses of their recruitment agency, Universal Placement International (UPI) and its Philippine-based counterpart, PARS International. Jomento-Cruz was also accorded as the International Honoree during the same event.

The efforts of the Filipino teachers in coordination with AFT and other groups resulted to initial legal victories including the decision by Louisiana Workforce Commission ordering UPI to refund up to $1.8 Million in fees to the teachers.

In her acceptance speech, Jomento-Cruz cited how AFT helped them revisit a Filipino virtue of Bayanihan. “It is most impressively displayed in the old tradition of neighbors helping a relocating family by getting enough volunteers to literally carry the house on their shoulders and moving it to its new and better location. And believe it or not, that act is done with happy, festive and unexpecting disposition. We can clearly see then that these heroes in the community collectively work and sacrifice for each other and be heroes to one another. In essence, Bayanihan is all but one with the spirit of Unionism.”

“AFT made us realized a strong message of being heroes in our own ways united as a potent force, unloading each other’s burden, pushing common goals and aspirations with pride and dignity,” added Jomento-Cruz.

The AFT convention, held in Seattle, Washington, is currently ongoing and is attended by more than 3,000 union members and guests from labor and union network all over world. Filipinos are well represented in the convention with Filipino migrant teachers as delegates from different states including Baltimore, Washington DC, California and Louisiana. International guests also include Philippine-based organizations; Annie Geron, Secretary General of Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK) and Ian Seruelo, US-Liaison Officer of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM). PM and PSLINK have been supporting the organizing, campaign and legal efforts of Filipino teachers.

The formation of FEFL earlier this year marked the unified and coordinated action by migrant Filipino teachers in Louisiana to push back against the exploitative practices of their placement agencies. The founding objectives of FEFL include the following: (1) To help Filipino teachers and workers who are victims of trafficking, oppressive forms of recruitment and unfair labor practices; (2) To implement campaigns to pursue justice and enforce the rights of migrant teachers and workers; (3) To advocate for the promotion of the welfare of migrant workers both in the US and in the Philippines, and (4) To raise public awareness about the plight of migrant teachers and workers as a whole.