Urban poor protest Cavite mayor’s intrusion into mass housing project

Informal settlers protest at GMA, Cavite municipal hall

Urban poor protest Cavite mayor’s intrusion into mass housing project

More than a hundred informal settlers in the town of General Mariano Alvarez (GMA), Cavite protested yesterday the interference of the mayor in a mass housing project being implemented by the National Housing Authority (NHA). The GMA residents held a march from their community in Quarry Hills in Barangay Dacin to the NHA office and finally at the municipal hall.

“We demand that Mayor Walter Echevarria cease and desist from obstructing the smooth completion of the housing project handled by the NHA that will benefit some 300 families in Quarry Hills. We call on the Mayor to allow the ongoing validation and verification of actual occupancy that is part of the NHA’s process for socialized housing,” asserted Jun Labrador, leader of the GMA informal settlers.

The day before, the mayor had ordered a stop to the validation and verification being done by NHA personnel at the Quarry Hills community. “We even heard from reliable sources that Mayor Echevarria  verbally abused the NHA project manager in his fit of anger,” Labrador insisted.

The protesters at the GMA municipal hall called on Mayor Echevarria for a dialogue but instead it was his daughter, Councilor Maricel E. Torres , who is running in the coming election as the vice mayor of his re-electionist father, who came down to meet the Quarry Hills informal settlers.

“We agreed to Councilor Torres’ proposal for a meeting of all the interested parties at the Quarry Hills site even as we insisted that such a meeting should not stop nor delay the ongoing validation and verification phase of the housing project,” Labrador argued.

Ramil Cangayo, chair of the Cavite chapter of the party-list group Partido Manggagawa (PM), which is assisting the Quarry Hills residents in their fight for housing rights, averred that “The LGU should not interfere in the project implementation since it is entirely the mandate of the NHA. For the LGU to interfere is to overstep its bounds and is tantamount to abuse of authority.’

He explained that the Quarry Hills informal settlers had already struggled too long to secure their tenure rights to the 3.7 hectare public land. “As early as 2002, the NHA had issued memorandum circular 1754 awarding the land to the informal settlers on Quarry Hills. In 2006, the LGU had already approved the subdivision plan for the onsite housing project. Justice delayed is justice denied. Kung totoo ang tuwid na daan, matagal na sanang nakamit ang katiyakan sa paninirahan ng mga taga-Quarry Hills,” Cangayao stated.

PM vowed to support the Quarry Hills residents in the ongoing dispute and their fight to secure affordable housing. “The protest yesterday is not the first nor the last. Tuloy ang laban hanggang maipanalo ang katiyakan sa paninirahan. Accessible housing for the poor is a key part of PM’s demand for sufficient social services. Along with our call for cheap prices of goods and utilities, decent wages and job security, these constitute PM’s Apat na Dapat platform for workers and the poor,” Cangayao clarified.

October 30, 2015

Partido Manggagawa

Advisory: Another mediation tomorrow on PAL-PALEA dispute

MEDIA ADVISORY

PALEA

October 28, 2015

Contact Gerry Rivera @ 09165047751

  

Another mediation today on PAL-PALEA dispute

WHAT: Mediation meeting between PAL and PALEA on the notice of strike over mass layoff

WHEN:  Today, October 28 (Wednesday), 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: NCMB-Central office (Arcadia Building, 860 Quezon Ave., QC)

PALEA accuses PAL of dividing union

#BoycottPAL team leafleteering

October 26, 2015

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) accused the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) of splitting the union in a bid to weaken its fight against the latest mass layoff at the national flag carrier. PALEA issued this reaction to a story in some news outlets three days ago about six PAL employees opposing the notice of strike filed by PALEA.

To resolve the notice of strike over the recent mass layoff of 117 employees, the Department of Labor and Employment is calling PAL and PALEA to another conciliation meeting today at the Quezon City central office of the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.

With PALEA’s strike deadline nearing, the conciliation meeting is the fourth attempt to settle the labor dispute. In the conciliation today, PALEA will push for the recall of the mass layoff and the reinstatement of the 117 dismissed workers.

“We know for a fact that PAL management is talking to the six employees who are publicly opposing the notice of strike. PAL’s coddling of scabs in the campaign to defend regular jobs is a classic case of divide and conquer,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido Manggagawa (PM).

Rivera insisted that the latest retrenchment of PAL personnel at domestic airport across the country is part of an “outsourcing spree” since 1998 that had resulted to the dismissal of a total of 5,500 employees and their replacement by contractual workers. “We are determined to stop the epidemic of contractualization in PAL and elsewhere, and to protect job security and decent wages for all Filipino workers,” he explained.

No collective bargaining negotiations between PAL and PALEA has happened since 1998 when a 10-year CBA suspension was imposed. After a two-year fight, PALEA and PAL forged a deal to settle the labor dispute of 2011 yet some 600 retrenched members have not been re-employed as provided for in the agreement. Thus PALEA has asked PAL to open collective bargaining negotiations and fully implement the deal that ended the dispute over the last mass retrenchment in 2011.

Rivera added that “The fact that these six scabs are publicly opposing PALEA’s strike while deafeningly silent on PAL’s layoffs exposes where they stand on the battle between the union and management over contractualization. They are acting as management spokespersons as their statements against PALEA is precisely the line and policy of the company.”

“The six scabs are part of a faction that lost in the PALEA election early this year and are utterly without any mandate to speak on behalf of the union. Still it is to the benefit of management for these scabs to sow intrigue and dish disinformation against PALEA’s legitimate and duly elected officers,” Rivera argued.

Advisory: PAL-PALEA mediation tom as strike deadline nears

MEDIA ADVISORY

PALEA

October 26, 2015

Contact Gerry Rivera @ 09165047751

  

DOLE to hold mediation today on PAL-PALEA dispute as strike deadline nears

WHAT: Mediation meeting between PAL and PALEA on the notice of strike over mass layoff

WHEN:  Today, October 26 (Monday), 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: NCMB-Central office (Arcadia Building, 860 Quezon Ave., QC)

PALEA to demand reinstatement of dismissed workers in conciliation today

Press Release

October 15, 2015

PALEA

The union Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) will demand the recall of the recent mass layoff at Philippine Airlines (PAL) and the reinstatement of the 117 dismissed workers in the conciliation meeting scheduled today. To highlight the demand, PALEA members will hold a picket simultaneous with the mediation talks at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board office at the DOLE Building in Intramuros, Manila.

Today’s mediation is the second after PALEA filed a notice of strike last October 8. PAL announced the separation of 117 employees all working at domestic airports around the country last September 2.

“As we ask for the understanding of the riding public for a strike that may fall on the undas holiday, we also appeal for their solidarity in PALEA’s fight against retrenchment and contractualization. Ang laban ng PALEA ay laban ng lahat,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and Partido Manggagawa (PM) vice chair.

In threatening to strike, PALEA is alleging unfair labor practice by PAL due to the recent retrenchment and management interference in the right to unionize. The law gives PALEA 15 days after filing before it can actually hold a strike.

Rivera averred that “To avert a strike, we call on PAL to set aside their flimsy excuses for not responding to our demands. Such it seems is squid tactics to hide its inability to justify the illegal termination of 117 employees.”

“The mass layoff is not only illegal but immoral. PAL is firing workers though it is wallowing in profits. PAL’s parent company, PAL Holdings, reported a net income of P5.8 billion ($126.20 million) for the first half of 2015, soaring nearly ten-fold from P560 million ($12.18 million) during the same period last year,” Rivera added.

PALEA is hoping that PAL President Jaime Bautista will attend the mediation meeting today to facilitate resolution of the dispute. As part of its weekly protests, PALEA members picketed PAL offices yesterday around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Aside from opposing the latest retrenchment, PALEA is also calling for the opening of collective bargaining negotiation and the full implementation of a settlement agreement that ended the dispute over the last mass retrenchment in 2011.

No collective bargaining negotiation between PAL and PALEA has happened since 1998 when a 10-year CBA suspension was imposed. After a two-year fight, PALEA and PAL forged a deal to settle the labor dispute of 2011 yet some 600 retrenched members have not been re-employed as provided for in the agreement.

#BoycottPAL! Fight contractualization!

Advisory: PALEA to picket PAL offices at airport today

MEDIA ADVISORY

October 14, 2015

Contact Manny Gan @ 09275307230

   After filing notice of strike last week:

PALEA to picket PAL offices at airport

WHAT: PALEA to protest against mass layoff of 117 PAL workers and call on members to prepare for strike

WHEN:  Today, October 14 (Wednesday), 11:00 a.m.

WHERE: Assembly at PALEA HQ in Baclaran then proceed to PAL offices around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

DETAILS: The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) will hold another protest today, its first after filing a notice of strike last week over the recent mass layoff.

Last October 8, PALEA filed a notice of strike, alleging unfair labor practice by PAL due to the recent retrenchment and management interference in the right to unionize. The law gives PALEA 15 days after filing before it can actually hold a strike.

PAL announced the separation of 117 employees all working at domestic airports all around the country last September 2.

Aside from opposing the latest retrenchment, PALEA is also calling for the opening of collective bargaining negotiation and the full implementation of a settlement agreement that ended the dispute over the last mass retrenchment in 2011.

No collective bargaining negotiation between PAL and PALEA has happened since 1998 when a 10-year CBA suspension was imposed. After a two-year fight, PALEA and PAL forged a deal to settle the labor dispute of 2011 yet some 600 retrenched members have not been re-employed as provided for in the agreement.

Over a strike notice vs. mass layoff: PAL, union conciliation inconclusive

Press Release

October 13, 2015

PALEA

A conciliation meeting yesterday between the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) and the union Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) ended without any agreement on the issue of the recent mass layoff of 117 employees. The first meeting between PAL and PALEA was called by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board-NCR after the union filed a notice of strike last October 8, allegedly unfair labor practice due to the retrenchment and management interference in the right to unionize. The law gives PALEA 15 days after filing before it can actually hold a strike.

“PAL, through the industrial relations lawyers who attended in behalf of management, was non-committal on the union demand to recall the separation of the 117 employees and their immediate reinstatement. Thus PALEA’s notice of strike stays,” stated Gerry Rivera, PALE president and vice chair of Partido Manggagawa.

Another conciliation meeting is set for Thursday, October 15. PALEA asked that PAL President Jaime Bautista attend the meeting to facilitate resolution of the dispute. As part of its weekly protests, tomorrow PALEA will picket PAL offices around the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

PAL sent termination notices to 117 employees, almost all PALEA members and working in domestic airports around the country last September 2. The notice cited an organizational restructuring which had rendered “several positions in the Company redundant.”

However Rivera argued that “No redundancy exists since the workers retrenched were replaced by agency employees. The new round of layoffs is just another wave of contractualization, changing regular unionized workers with contractual employees who will be paid less in wages and benefits.”

He added that “The mass layoff is not only illegal but immoral. PAL is firing workers though it is wallowing in profits. PAL’s parent company, PAL Holdings, reported a net income of P5.8 billion ($126.20 million) for the first half of 2015, soaring nearly ten-fold from P560 million ($12.18 million) during the same period last year.”

PALEA wrote PAL President Jaime Bautista last September 5 to ask for the recall of the mass layoff. In the same letter, PALEA also repeated its request for the commencement of collective bargaining negotiations, and the resumption of discussions for the implementation of the Settlement Agreement.

No collective bargaining negotiation between PAL and PALEA has happened since 1998 when a 10-year CBA suspension was imposed. After a two-year campaign, PALEA and PAL forged a deal to settle the labor dispute of 2011 yet some 600 retrenched members have not been re-employed as provided for in the agreement.

PALEA files notice of strike vs mass layoff

Press Release

October 9, 2015

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), the union of ground employees at Philippine Airlines (PAL), filed a notice of strike yesterday morning. The union cited unfair labor practice as basis for the strike. Under the law, PALEA has 15 days before it can actually hold a strike.

“We ask for the understanding of the public but a strike is necessary to defend the working conditions of PAL workers as the company is illegally interfering and coercing employees in the exercise of their constitutional right to self-organization. Also the mass termination of more than 100 PALEA members constitute another element of unfair labor practice,” explained Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido Manggagawa (PM).

Last September 2, 2015, PAL sent notices of termination to 117 employees, almost all PALEA members. The notice cited an alleged organizational restructuring which had rendered “several positions in the Company redundant.”

In a sign of renewed turbulence at PAL, last Wednesday several hundred members of PALEA, PM and labor center Sentro marched under the banner of the workers coalition Nagkaisa in Ayala, Makati to call for job security and a living wage in commemoration of World Decent Work Day. A highlight of the protest was a noise but peaceful picket at the PAL ticketing office at Allied Bank Building in Ayala to call for a boycott of PAL until the various labor disputes between PALEA and PAL are resolved.

“Yet no redundancy will happen since the workers to be retrenched will be replaced by new employees from agencies. The new round of layoffs is another wave of contractualization, changing regular unionized workers with contractual employees using agencies who will be paid less in wages and benefits,” insisted Rivera.

He added that “PAL is laying off workers at a time when it is swimming in profits. PAL’s parent company, PAL Holdings, reported a net income of P5.8 billion ($126.20 million) for the first half of 2015, soaring nearly ten-fold from P560 million ($12.18 million) during the same period last year.”

Rivera insisted that “While the notice states that the termination shall be effective on November 9, most of the employees who were notified were dismissed immediately upon being served. They were no longer allowed to work, as soon as they had been given the notice. Contractual employees with security escorts were already on standby and immediately replaced the terminated employees.”

PALEA sent a letter on September 5 to PAL President and COO Jaime Bautista to ask for the recall of the mass layoff. In the same letter, PALEA also repeated its request for the commencement of CBA negotiations, and the resumption of discussions for the implementation of the Settlement Agreement. “To date, PAL has not replied to any of these letters. In the face of such intransigence, a strike becomes imperative,” Rivera averred.

No collective bargaining negotiation between PAL and PALEA has happened since 1998 when a 10-year CBA suspension was imposed. After a two-year campaign, PALEA and PAL forged a deal to settle the labor dispute of 2011 yet some 600 retrenched members have not been re-employed as provided for in the agreement.

Workers’ march at Ayala calls on pols to address wages & jobs

Press Release

October 7, 2015

Several hundred workers from labor groups under the coalition Nagkaisa are marching this afternoon along Ayala Ave. to dramatize the call for job security and a living wage as their way of commemorating World Decent Work Day. The marchers will assemble at the Makati Fire Station at 3:00 pm and then will march by 4:00 pm around the country’s premier business district.

The militant Partido Manggagawa (PM) is challenging politicians to spell out platforms addressing voters’ urgent concerns on the erosion of wages due to inflation and the generation of regular jobs.

“Everyday we see candidates declaring their intent to run but we hardly hear their platform for workers and the poor. Para lumawak ang tuwid na daan, manggagawa naman! Para walang maiiwan, manggagawa naman! Ang Makati, hindi lang dapat paraiso sa mga negosyante, manggagawa naman! We dare the national candidates to state what concrete steps they will do to resolve the problem of wages and jobs,” averred Rene Magtubo, PM chairperson.

 “Concretely, we are asking candidates to make a stand on the security of tenure bill meant to regulate the abusive practice of contractualization. And also their commitment to achieving a living wage through a combination of wage hikes, basic goods discounts, tax exemptions and social security subsidies,” Magtubo clarified.

For this year, the World Decent Work Day has a theme of “End Corporate Greed.” The call for decent work is given a local flavor by a recent survey that reveals the most pressing issues of Filipino voters are inflation, wages and employment.

“What is the use of economic growth if wages are frozen, and jobs are not enough and contractual in status? Para sa totoong pag-unlad, manggagawa naman! Handa ba ang mga kandidato na salubungin ang Apat na Dapat?,” Magtubo argued.

He listed the Apat na Dapat as “1. Mababang presyo, 2. Sapat na sweldo, 3. Regular na trabaho,  at 4. Matinong serbisyo publiko.”

“In PAL, more than 5,500 workers have been retrenched in a series of mass layoffs since 1998 and they were all replaced by agency contractuals in a brutal outsourcing scheme meant to bust unions. Yesterday contractuals, called talents, in GMA-7 won their regularization case. This followed a similar move in 2010 by ABS-CBN talents for recognition as regular workers. From malls to factories to offices, contractuals are supplanting regulars. So we ask the candidates, ok ba silang endo pa more?,” Magtubo ended.

Advisory: Workers to march along Ayala Ave

MEDIA ADVISORY

October 7, 2015

Contact: Wilson Fortaleza @ 09158625229, 09432843919

To observe Decent Work Day and dare pols on wages & jobs:

Workers to march along Ayala Ave

WHAT: March by hundreds of workers under the Nagkaisa labor coalition

WHEN: Today, October 7, 2015; Assembly 3 pm, March 4 pm

WHERE: Assembly @ Makati Fire Station, March along Ayala Ave.

DETAILS: Both to commemorate the global day of decent work and to challenge national candidates on the urgent issues of wage hikes and regular jobs, several hundred members of labor groups under the coalition Nagkaisa will march on Ayala Ave., the country’s leading business district.

Among those marching are contingents from Partido Manggagawa (PM) and PALEA which has launched renewed protests as a result of another mass layoff at Philippine Airlines.

Today's global day for decent work is organized annually by the International Trade Union Confederation and has a theme of “End Corporate Greed” for this year. The call for decent work is given a local flavour by recent survey that the most urgent concerns of Filipino voters are the erosion of wages due to inflation and the generation of regular jobs.

“Enough of motherhood statements and hollow slogans. We dare the presidential candidates to spell out concrete steps in their platforms on addressing the issue of wages and jobs,” insist Rene Magtubo, PM chairperson. ###

Workers to dare pols on wages & jobs issues with a march along Ayala Ave.

Press Release

October 6, 2015

With more candidates declaring their intention to run for national office, the militant labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) challenged politicians to spell out platforms addressing voters’ urgent concerns on the erosion of wages due to inflation and the generation of regular jobs. Several hundred workers from labor groups under the coalition Nagkaisa are marching tomorrow afternoon along Ayala Ave. to dramatize the call for job security and a living wage.

“Everyday we see candidates declaring their intent to run but we hardly hear their platform for workers and the poor. Enough of motherhood statements and hollow slogans. We dare the national candidates to state what concrete steps they will do to resolve the problem of wages and jobs,” insist Rene Magtubo, PM chairperson.

The march is also in observance of Global Decent Work Day, an annual event sponsored by the International Trade Union Confederation to highlight workers demands. Among those marching are contingents from PM and the union PALEA which has launched renewed protests as a result of another mass layoff at Philippine Airlines (PAL).

“Concretely, we are asking candidates to make a stand on the security of tenure bill meant to regulate the abusive practice of contractualization. And also their commitment to raising salaries through a combination of wage hikes, basic goods discounts, tax exemptions and social security subsidies,” Magtubo clarified.

The World Decent Work Day has a theme of “End Corporate Greed” for this year. The call for decent work is given a local flavour by a recent survey that reveals the most pressing issues of Filipino voters are inflation, wages and employment.

“What is the use of economic growth if wages are frozen, and jobs are not enough and contractual in status? Para sa totoong pag-unlad, manggagawa naman! Handa ba ang mga kandidato na salubungin ang Apat na Dapat?,” Magtubo argued.

He listed the Apat na Dapat as “1. Mababang presyo, 2. Sapat na sweldo, 3. Regular na trabaho,  at 4. Matinong serbisyo publiko.”

“In PAL, more than 5,500 workers have been retrenched in a series of mass layoffs since 1998 and they were all replaced by agency contractuals in a brutal outsourcing scheme meant to bust unions. Yesterday contractuals, called talents, in GMA-7 won their regularization case. This followed a similar move in 2010 by ABS-CBN talents for recognition as regular workers. From malls to factories to offices, contractuals are supplanting regulars. So we ask the candidates, ok ba silang endo pa more?,” Magtubo ended.

Militant youth ask for apology on lewd act in LP event

Press Release

October 2, 2015

Partido Manggagawa-Kabataan (PMK)

The Partido Manggagawa-Kabataan, the youth wing of the militant Partido Manggagawa, asked for a formal apology from the politicians involved in the use of sexy performers in a political event in Laguna.

“We challenge MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino and Laguna Rep. Benjie Agarao to issue categorical apologies. Their insincere denials are worthless and lame excuses are even worse. We want to hear Tolentino and Agarao declare that the performance was offensive to women, say they are sorry for it and promise not to have similar acts in their upcoming political events,” averred Erika Isaias, PMK spokesperson for Cavite.

A sexy dance group called Playgirls performed lewd acts in an oath-taking of new Liberal Party members in Laguna presided by presidential candidate Mar Roxas. The performance was allegedly a “surprise gift” from Tolentino to birthday celebrant Agarao. Children and minors were in attendance at the LP event.

“If there is any truth at all to the daang matuwid platform of LP, then such lewd dances have no place in a political gathering. Trapos frequently talk of family values, women’s rights and child welfare. But their use of sexy or lewd performances as entertainment in political meetings exposes such as lip service if not blatant lies,” insisted Isaias, a 23-year old young worker in an ecozone in Cavite.

PMK is composed of out-of-school youth, students and young workers who advocate issues such as education for all, regular jobs, decent wages, affordable housing and community involvement of working class youth.