DOLE asked: Take PAL’s assertions with a grain of salt

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to be more critical of the statements of Philippine Airlines (PAL) management regarding the mass layoff of 300 regular employees. This was the group’s reaction to the pronouncement of DOLE Assistant Secretary Benjo Benavidez that there is nothing illegal in the latest round of separation at the flag carrier.

“The DOLE is cognizant of the outsourcing dispute at PAL and that historically the company has laid off regular employees so that the work is subcontracted to endo workers in service providers. Thus DOLE must be more critical of the basis and purpose of the recent retrenchment of 300 employees,” asserted Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

Alnem Pretencio of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) also called on DOLE to immediately decide pending labor cases of the flag carrier. He explained that “Given this most recent mass layoff, it is incumbent upon the Office of the Labor Secretary to decide on two unresolved cases. One is the illegal dismissal in 2015 of 117 workers in the provincial airports. And second, the results of the SAVE inspection of PAL which found that the flag carrier illegally practiced labor-only contracting in the use of contract workers in the service providers. The cases have languished at the DOLE for the past several years.”

Magtubo averred that “The findings of the SAVE inspection shows rampant contractualization at PAL. This despite the DOLE’s legal imprimatur to the 2011 outsourcing of the airport services, catering and reservations departments that led to the loss of jobs of 2,600 regular workers. DOLE should not repeat the same mistake in prematurely declaring that the latest mass layoff is above board and legal.”

“In fact, on its face, there is an obvious disparity in numbers. In his declaration that the layoff is legal, ASec Benavidez cites that 182 employees have voluntarily accepted separation. But PAL states that 300 are affected and that workers will be retrenched aside from voluntarily separated. This begs the question, what is the status of the rest of the 300 workers to be dismissed?,” inquired Magtubo. 

March 2, 2020

PAL layoff is continuation of 2009 outsourcing plan---labor group

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) today asserted that the latest retrenchment in Philippines Airlines (PAL) affecting 300 employees is a continuation of the massive outsourcing plan of 2009.

“Since 2011 PAL has been laying off regular employees and outsourcing the work to contractors who hire endo workers. PAL is just using the covid-19 travel ban and alleged financial losses as alibi for the latest round of contractualization at the flag carrier,” stated Rene Magtubo, PM chair. PM was the main supporter of the PAL union Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) in the outsourcing dispute from 2009 to 2013.

“In a labor-management consultative council meeting on August, 26, 2009, a controversial outsourcing plan to closed down the departments of information technology, human resources, benefits, legal, medical, revenue accounting, ticket offices, airport services, catering and reservations was unveiled. Despite opposition by PALEA, on September 30, 2011, PAL laid off 2,600 workers in airport services, catering and reservations and then subcontracted the work to three service providers. This means that the recent separation of 300 employees has been in the works for the last 11 years. Management was just waiting for an expedient time to outsource once more,” explained Alnem Pretencio, PALEA vice president and outsourced worker in 2011.

Pretencio added that “In 2015, PAL also fired 117 employees assigned in the provincial airports. A notice of strike is still pending due to that illegal dismissal. And much earlier in 2001, PAL laid off 1,400 union members and outsourced the whole maintenance and engineering department to the Lucio Tan-Lufthansa venture Lufthansa Technik Philippines.”

Magtubo averred that “PAL’s modus operandi of dismissing workers and replacing them with contractual workers in service providers is pretty well established. At the very least, PAL’s allegations of losses as basis for retrenchment should be taken with a grain of salt.”

“In fact, the epidemic of endo is a worse plague on Filipino workers than the threat of the covid-19 virus. PAL’s recent mass layoff exposes that the problem of contractualization is as bad as ever. With President Duterte’s veto of the Security of Tenure bill last year, he definitely reneged on his promise of ending endo. Thus capitalists are emboldened anew to engage in contractualization,” Magtubo insisted.

March 1, 2020

ABS-CBN should regularize its workers if franchise renewed—labor group

Photo from ABS-CBN

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) reiterated its call on the company to regularize its workers once its franchise is renewed by Congress. “We support the challenge by Senator Risa Hontiveros during the Senate hearing on the franchise of ABS-CBN for the company to improve working conditions and promote job security of its employees if the franchise is renewed,” stated Wilson Fortaleza, PM chairperson.

He added that “In the same vein, we assail ABS-CBN CEO Carlo Katigbak for refusing to commit to regularize all of its 11,071 workers as dared by Senator Hontiveros.”

The group stated that ABS-CBN should treat as kapamilya its 5,000 workers who are project-based or independent contractors by making them regular employees. “ABS-CBN of course gives mandated benefits to its non-regular workers. But the crux of the contractualization issue is that ABS-CBN—along with other broadcast firms—denies  better wages & benefits to them since they are not regular in status. In fact it is disingenuous for ABS-CBN to now express concern for its 11,071 but refuse to recognize employee-employer relationship when a few years ago contractual workers unionized in a bid to negotiate for improved wages and working conditions,” Fortaleza said.

He ended with the statement “ If anything, the Senate hearing made crystal clear that the attempt to shutdown ABS-CBN is rooted in just President Duterte’s personal grudge about non-airing of his campaign ads.”

February 24, 2020

DOLE asked to act on factory closures, forced leaves

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) called on Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello to act with dispatch on other cases of factory closures and even forced leave of workers. The other day, it was announced by management that the Honda plant manufacturing cars in Laguna was to be closed down.

“Other than the 387 Honda workers in Laguna that will be laidoff as a result, Secretary Bello should also look into the thousands of workers who are also victims of forced leaves and factory closures in Cavite and Cebu,” asserted Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

“The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) should prepare relief and assistance to the displaced workers together with an investigation into the causes of the forced leaves and factory closures, including compliance with labor laws,” Magtubo explained.

He added that “Under the radar, there are more cases of workers losing incomes.” PM said that the Sports City group of companies in the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) in Cebu that produce for global garments brands have been putting workers on forced leave due to reduced production.

The group also cited the declaration of electronics locators in MEZ that production is due to be affected by the ban on flights from China where parts and supplies come from. MEZ Deputy Administrator Atty. Rufino Ranulfo San Juan IV was quoted that at least one electronics company has said that it may close down if supplies from China do not arrive due to the impact of the CoVID-19 epidemic.

PM also cited the repeated temporary closure of a garments factory in Cavite which made 348 workers jobless since late last year. “DOLE should look into the Sejung Apparel Inc. firm which has closed down three times in October 2019, January 2020 and again this month. We believe this is intended to bust the union formed last year,” Magtubo insisted.

He furthered that “DOLE is also dragging its feet on releasing a compliance order on the dispute about Sejung management’s non-payment of 13^th month pay and the last salary of workers. The rule is crystal clear that the 13^th month pay should be given at most by December 24. Is the DOLE waiting for Holy Week before compelling a company to pay mandated Christmas benefits?”

February 24, 2020

Media Advisory: NEVER AGAIN TO DICTATORSHIP

MEDIA ADVISORY

Kalipunan ng mga Kilusang Masa

23 February 2020

Request for coverage

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NEVER AGAIN TO DICTATORSHIP

Commemoration of 1986 Edsa People Power

6:00 PM    February 24, 2020

Boy Scout Circle, Timog-Morato, QC

Members of Kalipunan call on the people to continue fighting for freedom and to reject another dictatorship.  That fight for freedom includes that of the press, labor and women’s rights, the defense of the environment, all under attack by Duterte's increasing authoritarian rule.

Media workers are also set to join the February 24 activity.

Contact Person: Wilson Fortaleza, +63 945 218 2693