Solidarity to Occupy Oakland General Strike

To the Occupy Oakland protesters:

We express our solidarity with the Oakland general strike on November 2 especially the blockade of the Port of Oakland. The general strike and port blockade will reveal the truth that the 99% creates the wealth that the 1% now monopolizes. Such forms of mass actions will also show the way forward for the occupy protest movement now surging in the US and other countries.

We likewise salute the Occupy Oakland protesters who bravely faced violent eviction last October 25 even as we condemn the police for their brutal attack.

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), the union of the ground staff of Philippine Airlines, and Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party-Philippines), the independent party of the working class in the Philippines, stand shoulder to shoulder with the Occupy Oakland protesters. We too struggle against corporate greed and capitalist globalization with its destructive impact on the workers and the youth. Truly the movement against corporate greed and capitalist globalization is international in scope.

More than a thousand PALEA members are presently occupying areas outside the international airports of Manila and Cebu, the two biggest cities in the Philippines, for a month now since the company locked out and terminated some 2,400 employees. The layoffs are part of an outsourcing scheme that aimed to downgrade us into contract workers which we have been fighting against for the last two years.

Two weeks ago a court sheriff accompanied by hired goons of the company attempted to disperse the picketline in Manila. The resistance of PALEA members forced them to retreat. And then last Saturday, scores of hired goons launched a daybreak attack on PALEA’s occupation camp while many, including women and children, were still asleep. Half of the campout was destroyed and several protesters were hurt but the dispersal attempt masterminding by the company was repelled. In less than a day the occupation camp was wholly rebuilt.

We have vowed to defend our occupation. PALEA’s struggle is inspired by the Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Oakland protests and our fight is part of the global movement against corporate greed and capitalist globalization.

On November 2, PALEA and its supporters started a three-day “long march” around several cities to bring the campaign against corporate greed and capitalist globalization to the working class communities and areas. The Oakland general strike and port blockade will be an inspiration to our “long march” protest.

PALEA pickets Lucio Tan house on 2nd day of Lakbay-Hustisya

Press Release

November 3, 2011

PALEA

On the second day of its Lakbay-Hustisya, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) and labor groups Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and Alliance of Progressive Labor joined forces in a picket at one of Lucio Tan’s residences. Hundreds of protesters marched from Quiapo Church where they spent the night to Tan’s house at the back of Sto. Domino Church in Quezon City where they had a “tanghaliang tuyo” or boodle lunch to illustrate the contrast between the life of retrenched workers and the second richest Filipino.

“The 99% came on foot to a mansion of the 99% to symbolize the wide gap between the rich and poor. Philippine Airlines earned P3 billion in net income last year but terminated 2,400 workers as part of a scheme to bust PALEA and increase profit,” asserted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair.

Meanwhile PALEA slammed Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics as illegal labor only contractors. “These supposed independent service providers cannot operate without using PAL’s facilities such as the In-Flight Center (IFC). This has been exposed by PAL’s failed attempts to disperse the protest camp and its desperate plea for help from employers’ organizations. PAL itself has admitted in tweeter messages that it served lunch boxes on its flights since Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics are unable to use the IFC,” Rivera explained.

He added that “In contrast to PAL’s call for help from fellow capitalists, PALEA is seeking support from ordinary workers and the people. This is a battle between the 1% and the 99%, between corporate greed and human need.”

After the boodle lunch at Tan’s house, the Lakbay-Hustisya proceeded to the office of the National Labor Relations Commission where PALEA has a pending appeal on its complaint against PAL’s refusal to bargain. Later the marchers went to Welcome Rotonda by 5:00 p.m. for a short program to broadcast its advocacy against labor contractualization and corporate greed.

The protesters then marched on to the Holy Trinity Parish in Balic Balic, Manila where they celebrated a mass with Fr. Eric Adoviso and then spent the night. Tomorrow, the last day of the Lakbay-Hustisya, PALEA together with a coalition of labor groups will have a rally at Mendiola.

Labor groups plan to lambast the government’s inaction on the PAL labor row even as its turns violent with the recent attack on the campout which saw seven PALEA members hurt and a bystander killed. “There must be decisive intervention from the government instead of feel-good statements and an inutile investigation. Contrast the Aquino administration’s inaction to the Australian government’s rapid intervention in the Qantas dispute’’ insisted Renato Magtubo, PM chair.

PALEA walks for justice as PAL calls for open class war vs protesting workers

Lakbay-Hustisya passing by Pasay RTC

PRESS RELEASE

November 2, 2011

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and their supporters have embarked on a three-day “Lakbay-Hustisya” (walk for justice) beginning today as Philippine Airlines (PAL) intensifies its media campaign to hide its culpability for the violent daybreak attack by its hired goons on PALEA’s protest camp last Saturday which left one bystander dead and eight protesters injured.

“Since the Saturday attack PAL had been inventing stories that serve as smokescreen to its bungled attempt to break our protest camp.  And when nobody bought the storyline that PALEA orchestrated the attack against itself, the PAL management called on business groups to join the fray and support its declaration of class war against PALEA and the entire labor movement which are all opposed to contractualization policy,” stated PALEA president Gerry Rivera.

Rivera, who is also the vice president of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), said the “Lakbay-Hustisya” is PALEA’s own way of generating support from the public in winning back their regular jobs. “This is indeed a class war and under this condition workers have no recourse but to fight back,” added Rivera.

According to Ginalyn Licayan, head of PALEA’s Women Committee and in charge of the preparations for the ‘Lakbay-Hustisya’, another objective of their three-day journey is to seek out justice from what they suffered at the hands of PAL and government officials.

From their protest camp along MIA Road, PALEA members begin walking around 9:00 AM to their first destination, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court where PAL’s petition for PALEA to vacate the protest camp is still pending.  At the nearby Pasay City Jail, a certain Johnny de la Cruz, a hired goon whom they have apprehended last Saturday, is facing criminal charges for participating in that violent attack on PALEA’s protest camp.

From Pasay RTC, the group proceeded to the PAL offices at the nearby PNB Building for an indignation rally against the company’s relentless attack against its workers.  PAL, the union said, “is no more the country’s pride but the carrier of the worst kind of corporate greed and injustice.”                                                                                                    

After PAL, the protesters walked towards Malate Church where they were served free lunch by parish officials.  The Church, organized labor and human rights groups shared the view that once Lucio Tan succeeds with its outsourcing/contractualization scheme, everybody’s job will be next. 

From Malate Church, the protesters proceeded to the Court of Appeals where PALEAs petition for certiorari against PAL’s outsourcing plan is pending.  PALEA likewise held a short program at the nearby PAL ticketing office along

UN Avenue

before proceeding to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to denounce labor officials for approving Lucio Tan’s deplorable outsourcing plan.

After DOLE, PALEA was offered free dinner and overnight stay at the Benedict Hall of Quiapo Church.  In the morning of November 3, PALEA will march to Welcome Rotonda and then to Lucio Tan’s compound at Biak na Bato in Quezon City.  A ‘boodle lunch’ between PALEA and its supporters will be held in front of Lucio Tan’s residence to show the contrast between corporate greed and the injustice being suffered by his workers.

From Lucio Tan’s residence, PALEA members will proceed to the nearby National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) where they have appealed the case against PAL’s refusal to bargain.   From NLRC they will march back to Welcome Rotonda, and then to the Holy Trinity Church for a dinner and overnight stay. 

In the morning of November 4, they will be joined by other labor groups in a march towards Mendiola.  At Mendiola, the protesters will be asking President Aquino to reverse its decision of PAL’s outsourcing plan and cause the reinstatement with full rights of the 2,600 employees dismissed and locked out by PAL since October 1, 2011.

PALEA

PM slams PAL’s “call for an alliance of the 1% vs. the 99%”

Press Release

November 2, 2011

Partido ng Manggagawa

Contact Renato Magtubo @ 09178532905

PM slams PAL’s “call for an alliance of the 1% vs. the 99%”

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) slammed the call of Philippine Airlines (PAL) for support from employers’ organizations as “an unholy alliance of the 1% vs. the 99%.” Meanwhile the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) announced that it is readying its own charges against those responsible for the daybreak attack on its protest camp last Saturday which resulted in injuries to seven of its members and the death of a bystander.

“PAL’s Halloween appeal for help is a call for the forces of darkness to unite against the forces of good. In tagging PALEA’s protest camp as harassment, PAL wants to subvert labor rights in favor of property rights. Lucio Tan wants a return to the Marcos dictatorship when cronies ruled with impunity over the workers and the people. In contrast to PAL, PALEA is asking for support from workers and the people—the 99%—through a Lakbay-Hustisya,” asserted Renato Magtubo, chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

PALEA has already filed a criminal compliant against a certain Johnny dela Cruz, one the alleged hired goons who was apprehended during the attack. PALEA is now consulting with its lawyers on another case against the purported mastermind of the attack. Dela Cruz had signed a sworn statement to the police that he was paid together with others to disperse PALEA’s campout.

Around 500 PALEA and PM members proceeded this morning to the Pasay city jail where dela Cruz is detained and the offices of the Regional Trial Court as it begins the three-day Lakbay-Hustisya. The long march around Metro Manila aims to bring the advocacy against contractualization to the grassroots level. The “Lakbay-Hustisya” will pass by parishes and communities in Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Paranaque and Pasay as part of PALEA’s campaign to garner the support of ordinary Filipinos in the fight for regular jobs.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair added that “What is behind PAL’s insistence on its property rights over the In-Flight Center? Why does PAL want to operate the IFC when it has declared that the airport services, call center reservations and catering departments have been closed? If Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics need the IFC then these are illegal labor-only contractors not independent service providers.”

Meanwhile PM challenged the government for “decisive action instead of comforting words” in the wake of its call for sobriety. “Workers are getting killed and hurt while PNoy turns a blind eye to the escalating violence foisted on PALEA. Contrast this administration’s inaction to the Australian government’s swift intervention in the Qantas lockout,” Magtubo insisted.

Today the Lakbay-Hustisya marchers will also go to PAL’s offices at the PNB Building in

Macapagal Ave.

, Malate Church, PAL ticketing office in Faura, the Court of Appeals, the Department of Labor and Employment and then Quiapo Church where they will spend the night.

PALEA readying own charges vs. attackers

Press Release

November 1, 2011

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) declared that they are readying their own charges against those responsible for the daybreak attack on its protest camp even as it dismissed a Philippine Airlines (PAL) announcement that it will file complaints against union members. “PAL is trying to divert attention from its culpability in the violent daybreak attack on the PALEA protest camp which led to the death of one bystander and injuries to seven of our members. Apparently PAL’s best defense is offense,” insisted Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa.

A criminal complaint had already been filed against a certain Johnny dela Cruz, one the alleged hired goons who was apprehended by PALEA members during the attack. PALEA is now consulting with its lawyers on another case against the purported mastermind of the attack. Dela Cruz had signed a sworn statement to the police that he was paid together with others to dismantle PALEA’s campout.

PALEA also reacted to Malacanang’s call for sobriety. “It is not comforting words but swift action that will resolve the labor row. Workers are getting killed and hurt while PNoy turns a blind eye to the escalating violence foisted on PALEA. Contrast this administration’s inaction to the Australian government’s swift intervention in the Qantas lockout.”

News reports quoted PAL as saying that it is readying charges against people who blocked a catering truck from leaving the In-Flight Center (IFC). “It is PAL’s habit to threaten its workers in a futile effort at intimidation. They threatened administrative cases against employees for joining mass actions and they said they will file an illegal strike charge but none come of it,” Rivera added.

He added that “PAL could only invent the lamest excuse—that PALEA foisted the attack on its own campout. Unfortunately for PAL and its outsourced goons-provider, one of the attackers was caught and gave some damning admission. But the bigger question that people should ask is this: Why does PAL want the IFC to operate when it has declared that the airport services, call center reservations and catering departments have been closed? If Sky Kitchen and Sky Logistics need the IFC then these are illegal labor-only contractors not independent service providers.”

Meanwhile PALEA members sacrificed the traditional visit to deceased family members and instead guarded the campout which has been the subject of two failed dispersal attempts. Today they lighted candles and made a makeshift coffin to symbolize the continuing protests against outsourcing and contractualization at PAL and the rest of the world.

Tomorrow PALEA will embark on a three-day “Lakbay-Hustisya” or long march around Metro Manila in order to bring its campaign against contractualization to the grassroots level. The “Lakbay-Hustisya” will pass by parishes and communities in Manila, Quezon City, Makati, Paranaque and Pasay as part of PALEA’s aim to garner the support of ordinary Filipinos in the fight for regular jobs.