PALEA calls on Ramon Ang to drop charges against members

Press Release

November 9, 2012

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) today called on new Philippine Airlines (PAL) President Ramon Ang to drop all charges against its members in order to facilitate a solution to the labor row. Last Wednesday a second PALEA member was arrested in Makati City while the first was detained for several days last October in Malvar, Batangas.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa, said that “We hold Mr. Ang to his commitment to Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo that he desires a just and mutually beneficial resolution of the dispute. Arresting PALEA members one by one in order to demoralize our determination to fight is contrary to the contents of Mr. Ang’s letter to Bishop Pabillo. We hope Mr. Ang realizes that for PAL to fly the flag proud it needs motivated regular workers not just brand new planes and a bigger airport.”

PALEA member Ether Gonzaga was served a warrant yesterday noon while attending a barangay meeting. Meanwhile Romeo Sayas was arrested in his hometown in Batangas. Gonzaga declared that “Our will to struggle against contractualization is strengthened not weakened by PAL’s trumped op charges. We will gladly eat harassment cases for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” Gonzaga, aged 54, worked as catering coordinator at PAL for 20 years before being retrenched last year. A single parent to two sons, her job at PAL supported an extended family that included her 86-year old mother, a sister, two brothers and relatives in Iloilo.

Rivera insisted that “The arrest of Romeo and Esther are a travesty of justice. They should not have been arrested in the first place and the charges should have been dismissed outright.” He quoted the Department of Justice Ministry Circular No. 15 (Series of 1982) and the Department of Labor and Employment Order No. 40-G-03 (Series of 2010) that no criminal information can be filed against workers without the required clearance from the DOLE.

Sayas, Gonzaga and another 37 PALEA members were issued warrants of arrest by the Pasay City Municipal Trial Court branch 44 after finding probable cause to a grave coercion case filed by Philippine Airlines against workers who defended the protest camp when it was attacked by hired goons on October 29, 2011.

With the onset of the air travel peak season, Renato Magtubo, PM national chair, renewed the call of labor and church groups for the public to boycott PAL until the labor dispute is resolved and charges against PALEA members are dropped. “We ask OFW’s, balikbayans, students, workers and other travelers to book airlines other than PAL and Air Philippines as labor rights are being violated at the flag carrier,” he reiterated.

Rivera extolled Sayas as a “working class martyr.” “Sayas worked for 20 years as ramp equipment operator in the airport, at first as a contractual, and then he became a regular PAL employee but was finally retrenched for refusing to be outsourced. He has two children, and hails from a working class family—his brother is also a fighting PALEAn and their father formerly worked at PAL,” he stated.

PALEA lawyers have previously file a motion to quash or recall the arrest warrants Aside from the case against the PALEA 39, there are is another criminal suit and a separate civil suit pending against union members, all arising out of the labor row concerning outsourcing at PAL.

PALEA slams arrest of another member

Press Release

November 8, 2012

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) condemned the arrest of another of its members as it planned protests at the airport area in response. PALEA member Esther Gonzaga was arrested yesterday around noon in Makati City and was granted temporary freedom by 6:30 pm after posting bail.

Gonzaga’s arrest follows the earlier apprehension of Romeo Sayas who was detained inMalvar, Batangas for several days before he was released on bail.  Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and PM vice chair declared that “The harassment case of grave coercion was filed by the management of PAL against the PALEA 39 who valiantly defended the protest camp when it was attacked by hired goons on October 29, 2011.”

Aside from the case against the PALEA 39, there are two more criminal suits pending against union members due to the labor row. Rivera called on new PAL President Ramon Ang “to facilitate the resolution of the labor dispute by dropping the trumped up charges against our members which were filed under the old company management of Jaime Bautista.”

Gonzaga was arrested near her residence while attending a barangay meeting as she is a community leader. She is one of two women among the PALEA 39. PALEA believes that the warrants of arrest on the remaining 37 PALEA members may also be served in the coming days.

Rivera explained that as enunciated under DOJ Ministry Circular No. 15 (Series of 1982) and DOLE Order No. 40-G-03 (Series of 2010), no criminal information can be filed against workers without the required clearance from the DOLE. “Absent such clearance, the courts are mandated to dismiss the charges outright. Such a policy, started after the formal lifting of martial law, aims to resolve rather than aggravate labor disputes and regulate the proclivity of capitalists to engage in harassment suits against workers,” Rivera elaborated.

PALEA also lambasted Pasay Assistant City Prosecutor Orlando Mariano and Judge Bibiano Colasito of the Pasay MTC Branch 44 for finding probable cause and ordering the issuance of arrest warrants against 39 PALEA members. “These officers of the court not only defied laborstatutes but infringed on our members right to due process, and thus deserve to face administrative charges,” Rivera insisted.

He also denounced PAL lawyer Atty. Santiago “Sonny” Quial for “legal machinations.” Quial is running for district representative in Pasay for the coming elections. “As many PALEA members are Pasay voters, we will make sure that a law breaker does not become a law maker,” Rivera claimed.

Media Advisory: "Free Romeo Sayas" candlelight protest today

WHAT: Candlelight protest to call for freedom for PALEA member Romeo Sayas

WHEN:  Today, October 19, 5:00 pm

WHERE: PAL In-Flight Center near Terminal 2

DETAILS: The candlelight protest of a couple of hundred PALEA members will call for “Free Romeo Sayas,” its member who was arrest and jailed last Tuesday in Malvar, Batangas. Another 38 PALEA members, including 2 women, also face detention once served arrest warrants issued by Pasay City Municipal Trial Court branch 44.
The harassment case of grave coercion was filed by Philippine Airlines against the PALEA 39 who valiantly defended the protest camp when it was attacked by hired goons on October 29, 2011. PALEA is going to file a motion to quash or recall warrant of arrest as holds daily indignation actions at the airport area and government agencies.

PALEA calls for release of detained member

Press Release

October 18, 2012

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) called for the release of Romeo Sayas, its member arrested in Malvar, Batangas and detained since Tuesday. “Free Romeo Sayas,” chanted hundreds of PALEA members as they marched this afternoon for the second straight day in front of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) In-Flight Center near the Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa, said that “The arrest of Romeo is a travesty of justice and we demand his immediate release.” He explained that Sayas should not have been arrested in the first place and the charges should have been dismissed outright. Rivera quoted the Department of Justice Ministry Circular No. 15 (Series of 1982) and the Department of Labor and Employment Order No. 40-G-03 (Series of 2010) that no criminal information can be filed against workers without the required clearance from the DOLE.

Sayas and another 38 PALEA members, including two women, were issued warrants of arrest by the Pasay City Municipal Trial Court branch 44 after finding probable cause to a grave coercion case filed by Philippine Airlines against workers who defended the protest camp when it was attacked by hired goons on October 29, 2011.

Meanwhile Renato Magtubo, national chair, announced that they are coordinating with other labor groups to raise funds for Sayas’ PhP 12,000 bail bond. “I appeal to workers organizations and labor advocates to chip in for a ‘Piso para sa paglaya ni Romeo Sayas’ drive as his incarceration may complicate his diabetes and gout, and also to alleviate his family’s agony who have suffered enough from his one year of joblessness.”

With the air travel peak season approaching, Magtubo renewed the call of labor and church groups for the public to boycott PAL until the labor dispute is resolved and charges against PALEA members are dropped. “We ask OFW’s, balikbayans, students, workers and other travellers to book airlines other than PAL and Air Philippines as labor rights are being violated at the flag carrier,” he reiterated.

Rivera extolled Sayas as a “working class martyr.” “Sayas worked for 20 years as ramp equipment operator in the airport, at first as a contractual, and then he became a regular PAL employee but was finally retrenched for refusing to be outsourced. He has two children, and hails from a working class family—his brother is also a fighting PALEAn and their father formerly worked at PAL,” he stated.

PALEA lawyers are preparing to file a motion to quash or recall the warrants of arrest while protests at the DOLE and DOJ are also being planned. Aside from the case against the PALEA 39, there is another criminal suit and a separate civil suit pending against union members, all arising out of the labor row concerning outsourcing at PAL.

PALEA rally vs. arrest of member

WHAT: PALEA indignation rally vs. arrest of member

WHEN:  Today, October 18, 5:00 pm

WHERE: PAL In-Flight Center near Terminal 2

DETAILS: The PALEA rally will call for “Free Romeo Sayas,” its member who was arrest and jailed last Tuesday in Malvar, Batangas. Another 38 PALEA members, including 2 women, also face detention once served arrest warrants issued by Pasay City Municipal Trial Court branch 44. The harassment case of grave coercion was filed by Philippine Airlines against the PALEA 39 who valiantly defended the protest camp when it was attacked by hired goons on October 29, 2011. PALEA is going to file a motion to quash or recall warrant of arrest as holds daily indignation actions at the airport area and government agencies.

Contractualization slammed in “Global Day of Action”

Press Release

September 27, 2012

PALEA

Nationwide rallies denounced contractualization as labor groups in the Philippines marked the “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing.” Meanwhile airline unions and other workers abroad held protests spanning four continents in an expression of global resistance to outsourcing. “Actions by workers, on the same day, in a coordinated way, all over the world, gives the struggle against outsourcing strength and effectivity,” declared Gerry Rivera, president of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Some 1,000 members of PALEA and the labor coalition Nagkaisa staged a rally at Mendiola this morning. This was followed by a motorcade to the PALEA protest camp for an afternoon mass meeting. Mobilizations were also in Cebu at the PALEA picketline near the Mactan International Airport this morning and in Davao at the Buhangin underpass this afternoon.

Aside from commemorating the anniversary of PALEA’s protest against outsourcing last year, the protests also pushed for the passage of the security of tenure bill pending at Congress. “Aside from the reproductive health and freedom of information bills, the security of tenure measure is also jammed at the legislative mill. This social reform proposal seeks to restrict the epidemic of contractual work and the proliferation of 6 months endo jobs,” explained Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.

A picket the House of Representatives is planned for October 8 to call for the plenary discussion of the security of tenure bill. The House Labor Committee has reported out a consolidated version of the bill but the Committee on Rules has not scheduled it for sponsorship and interpellation at the plenary level.

The “Global Day of Action” was spearheaded by PALEA, the Turkish civil aviation union Hava-Is, Qantas unions, the Lufthansa flight attendants union UFO, Canadian airline workers union CAW-TCA, Air India unions, UNITE-HERE in the USA and the Australia Asia Worker Links. Rallies, leafleteering, mass meetings and other protest actions at airports were held in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, Istanbul in Turkey, Frankfurt in Germany, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Saint John in Canada, Mumbai in India and Honolulu in Hawaii. Solidarity messages have also been extended by labor centers and unions in Hong Kong, Seoul, Hanoi and San Francisco. The day of action was several months in the making with the International Transport Workers Federation starting the ball rolling by endorsing it in a meeting of the Asia-Pacific civil aviation section meeting in Kuala Lumpur last July.

Similar to PALEA, the groups participating in the day of action are embroiled in labor rows over job security and working conditions. Hava-Is is demanding the reinstatement of 305 members dismissed over protests against a controversial government ban on strikes in the aviation industry. Qantas management grounded its entire fleet last year in response to rolling strikes by its pilots and ground crew.

UFO recently won substantial concessions including limits to outsourcing after a strike that disrupted Lufthansa’s flights. CAW-TCA and other Air Canada unions were involved in disputes over pay and outsourcing, just like Air India workers. The hotel workers union UNITE-HERE is campaigning for a boycott of the global hotel chain Hyatt over a host of issues including use of contract labor.

For updates on the Global Day of Action: https://www.facebook.com/events/399444630110706/

Security of tenure bill to be pushed in “Day of Action vs. Outsourcing”

Press Release

September 26, 2012

PALEA

Some 1,000 workers will be mobilized tomorrow by the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) and the labor coalition Nagkaisa in a rally at Mendiola tomorrow. The rally marks the Filipino workers participation in the “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing” by labor unions in four continents. Aside from commemorating the anniversary of PALEA’s historic protest against outsourcing last year, the Mendiola rally will push for the passage of the security of tenure bill pending at Congress.

“It is not just the bills for reproductive health and freedom of information that are jammed at the legislative mill, but other vital social reform measures such as the security of tenure bill which seeks to restrict the epidemic of contractual work and the proliferation of 6 months endo jobs,” explained Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

The groups also announced that on October 8 workers will picket the House of Representatives to call for the plenary discussion of the security of tenure bill. The House Labor Committee has reported out a consolidated version of the bill but the Committee on Rules has not scheduled it for sponsorship and interpellation at the plenary level.

After the Mendiola mobilization, the rallyists will hold a motorcade to the PALEA protest camp for an afternoon mass meeting. Simultaneous mobilizations are also planned in Cebu at the PALEA picketline near the Mactan International Airport and in Davao at the downtown area.

Meanwhile rallies, leafleteering, mass meetings and other protest actions at airports are to be held in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, Istanbul in Turkey, Frankfurt in Germany, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Saint John in Canada, Mumbai in India and Honolulu in Hawaii. Solidarity messages have also been extended by labor centers and unions in Hong Kong, Seoul, Hanoi and San Francisco.

“If airline workers take industrial action, on the same day, in a coordinated way, all over the world, the struggle against job outsourcing will be stronger and more effective,” asserted the groups which are coordinating for the global day of action. Aside from PALEA, the Turkish civil aviation union Hava-Is, Qantas unions, the Lufthansa flight attendants union UFO, Canadian airline workers union CAW-TCA, Air India unions, UNITE-HERE in the USA and the Australia Asia Worker Links are participating.

Similar to PALEA, the groups participating in the day of action are embroiled in labor rows over job security and working conditions. Hava-Is is demanding the reinstatement of 305 members dismissed over protests against a controversial government ban on strikes in the aviation industry. Qantas management grounded its entire fleet last year in response to rolling strikes by its pilots and ground crew.

UFO recently won substantial concessions including limits to outsourcing after a strike that disrupted Lufthansa’s flights. CAW-TCA and other Air Canada unions were involved in disputes over pay and outsourcing, just like Air India workers. The UNITE-HERE union is campaigning for a boycott of the global hotel chain Hyatt over a host of issues including use of contract labor.

Advisory: Protests mark Global Day of Action vs. Outsourcing tomorrow

WHAT: PALEA and labor coalition Nagkaisa to hold rally and motorcade

WHEN:  Tomorrow, September 27, 9:30 am assembly; 10:00 am rally; 12 noon motorcade

WHERE: Assembly at Morayta; Rally at Mendiola; Motorcade to PALEA protest camp

DETAILS: Airline unions abroad will join the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) in a “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing” spanning four continents tomorrow. The September 27 action coincides with the anniversary of PALEA’s protest last year.

Nationwide mobilizations are to be held in Cebu at the PALEA picketline near the Mactan International Airport and in Davao at the downtown area.

Rallies, leafleteering, mass meetings and other protest actions at airports are to be held in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia (Qantas unions & Australia Asia Worker Links), Istanbul in Turkey (civil aviation union Hava-Is), Frankfurt in Germany (Lufthansa flight attendants union UFO), Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Saint John in Canada (airline workers union CAW-TCA), Mumbai in India (Air India unions ) and Honolulu in Hawaii (UNITE-HERE).

The campaign vs. outsourcing continues onto October 8 when PALEA and Nagkaisa pickets House of Representatives to push for the Security of Tenure bill.

Advisory: Protests mark Global Day of Action vs. Outsourcing tomorrow

WHAT: PALEA and labor coalition Nagkaisa to hold rally and motorcade

WHEN:  Tomorrow, September 27, 9:30 am assembly; 10:00 am rally; 12 noon motorcade

WHERE: Assembly at Morayta; Rally at Mendiola; Motorcade to PALEA protest camp

DETAILS: Airline unions abroad will join the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) in a “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing” spanning four continents tomorrow. The September 27 action coincides with the anniversary of PALEA’s protest last year.

Nationwide mobilizations are to be held in Cebu at the PALEA picketline near the Mactan International Airport and in Davao at the downtown area.

Rallies, leafleteering, mass meetings and other protest actions at airports are to be held in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia (Qantas unions & Australia Asia Worker Links), Istanbul in Turkey (civil aviation union Hava-Is), Frankfurt in Germany (Lufthansa flight attendants union UFO), Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Saint John in Canada (airline workers union CAW-TCA), Mumbai in India (Air India unions ) and Honolulu in Hawaii (UNITE-HERE).

The campaign vs. outsourcing continues onto October 8 when PALEA and Nagkaisa pickets House of Representatives to push for the Security of Tenure bill.

Airline unions to join PALEA in “Global Day of Action”

Press Release

September 24, 2012

PALEA

Airline unions to join PALEA in “Global Day of Action”

Airline unions are set to join the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) in a “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing” spanning four continents on Thursday. The September 27 action coincides with the anniversary of PALEA’s protest last year that led to the cancellation of all flights of Philippine Airlines and marked the start of a bitter fight over contractualization at the flag carrier.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) asserted that “We frequently hear the alibi that outsourcing is an international trend that workers have no choice but to bear. But the reality is that resistance to outsourcing is a global phenomenon.”

“If airline workers take industrial action, on the same day, in a coordinated way, all over the world, the struggle against job outsourcing will be stronger and more effective,” asserted the groups which are coordinating for the global day of action. Aside from PALEA, the Turkish civil aviation union Hava-Is, Qantas unions, the Lufthansa flight attendants union UFO, Canadian airline workers union CAW-TCA, Air India unions, UNITE-HERE in the USA and the Australia Asia Worker Links are participating.

Together with the labor coalition Nagkaisa, PALEA will stage a rally at Mendiola on September 27 and then hold a motorcade to the protest camp after. Simultaneous mobilizations are also planned in Cebu at the PALEA picketline near the Mactan International Airport and in Davao at the downtown area. Meanwhile rallies, leafleteering, mass meetings and other protest actions at airports are to be held in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, Istanbul in Turkey, Frankfurt in Germany, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Saint John in Canada, Mumbai in India and Honolulu in Hawaii. Solidarity messages have also been extended by labor centers and unions in Hong Kong, Seoul, Hanoi and San Francisco.

As a build up to the day of action, last September 21 PALEA held a “Jog for Regular Jobs” around the perimeter of its protest camp in Manila and a mass meeting to commemorate the union’s 66^th year. “PALEA @ 66 pledges never again to outsourcing,” declared Rivera. The day of action was several months in the making with the International Transport Workers Federation starting the ball rolling by endorsing it in a meeting of the Asia-Pacific civil aviation section meeting in Kuala Lumpur last July.

Similar to PALEA, the groups participating in the day of action are embroiled in labor rows over job security and working conditions. Hava-Is is demanding the reinstatement of 305 members dismissed over protests against a controversial government ban on strikes in the aviation industry. Qantas management grounded its entire fleet last year in response to rolling strikes by its pilots and ground crew.

UFO recently won substantial concessions including limits to outsourcing after a strike that disrupted Lufthansa’s flights. CAW-TCA and other Air Canada unions were involved in disputes over pay and outsourcing, just like Air India workers. The hotel workers union UNITE-HERE is campaigning for a boycott of the global hotel chain Hyatt over a host of issues including use of contract labor.

PALEA also announced that on October 8 Nagkaisa will hold a picket at House of Representatives to push for the plenary discussion of the Security of Tenure bill. “It is not just the bills for reproductive health and freedom of information that are jammed at the legislative mill, but other real social reform measures such as the security of tenure bill which seeks to restrict the epidemic of contractual work and the proliferation of 6 months endo jobs,” Rivera explained.

PALEA vows “Never again outsourcing” on its 66th anniversary

Press Release

September 21, 2012

PALEA 

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) commemorated its 66^thanniversary today with a vow to fight contractualization at Philippine Airlines (PAL) and elsewhere. “PALEA @ 66 pledges never again to outsourcing,” said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), in reference to the popular anti-martial law slogan whose declaration is also being remembered today.

At 7:00 am today, some 100 PALEA members in red shorts and shirts held a “Jog for Regular Jobs” around the perimeter of its protest camp outside the PAL In-Flight Center. “A sound mind and body together with job security is the basis for productive work. This is the message we wish to send with this early morning mass action,” explained Rivera.

A mass to be celebrated by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo at 10:00 am was the highlight of PALEA’s anniversary commemoration. A mass meeting followed the mass in which speakers from PALEA and supporters such as PM, Nagkaisa, the Church-Labor Conference, community and civil society groups spoke.

Renato Magtubo, PM chair, averred that “PALEA is able to celebrate its 66^th year of existence today thanks to the courageous resistance of its members to outsourcing and union busting and the steadfast support of labor and church groups to its fight for regular jobs.”

The anniversary celebration today is also a build-up to the “Global Day of Action against Outsourcing” on September 27 in which protest actions will be staged by aviation and other workers in Australia, Turkey, India, Canada, USA and Germany. PALEA will commemorate its one year of protest against outsourcing with a rally at Mendiola together with Nagkaisa and then a motorcade to the protest camp after. Simultaneous rallies will also be held in Cebu at the PALEA picketline near the Mactan International Airport and in Davao at the downtown area.

“If airline workers take industrial action, on the same day, in a coordinated way, all over the world, the struggle against job outsourcing will be stronger and more effective,” asserted the groups which have joined for the global day of action. Aside from PALEA, the Turkish civil aviation union Hava-Is, unions at Australia’s Qantas, the Lufthansa flight attendants union UFO, Canadian aviation union CAW-TCA, Air India unions, UNITE-HERE in the USA and the Australia Asia Worker Links are participating.

PALEA also announced that on October 8 that Nagkaisa will hold a picket at House of Representatives to push for the plenary discussion of the Security of Tenure bill. “It is not just the bills for reproductive health and freedom of information that are jammed at the legislative mill, but other real social reform measures such as the security of tenure bill which seeks to restrict the epidemic of contractual work and the proliferation of 6 months endo jobs,” Rivera elaborated.

PALEA vows “Never again outsourcing” on its 66th anniversary

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: PALEA celebrates founding with “Jog for Regular Jobs,” mass meeting and mass by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo

WHEN:  September 21, 7:00 am (Jog); 10:00 am (Meeting/Mass)

WHERE: PALEA protest camp

DETAILS: After the anniversary celebration, the other PALEA activities are:

September 27: PALEA commemorates one year of protest vs. outsourcing with Global Day of Action

9:30 am-10:00 am: March from Morayta to Mendiola with Nagkaisa labor groups

          11:00 am: Motorcade from Mendiola to PALEA protest camp

Rallies in Cebu @ PALEA picketline near Mactan Intl Airport and Davao @ downtown area

Protest actions by aviation workers in Australia, Turkey, India, Canada, USA and Germany

October 8: PALEA and Nagkaisa pickets House of Representatives to push for Security of Tenure bill

PALEA calls on new PAL management to drop criminal charges vs. members

Press Statement

September 11, 2012

PALEA

We call on the new management of Philippine Airlines headed by CEO Ramon S. Ang of the San Miguel Corp. group to facilitate the resolution of the pending labor dispute at the flag carrier by, among others, dropping the trumped up charges our members which were filed under the old company management of Jaime Bautista.

These criminal charges are an irritant to settling the labor row as they were intended to cajole and coerce PALEA members to avail of the outsourcing separation package and thereby surrender the fight for regular jobs.

The trumped up charges are inconsistent with the statement of Mr. Ramon Ang in the PAL annual stockholders meeting that the new management proposes a just and humane conclusion to the long-running labor row.

Further we call on the courts and the government to respect labor rights and labor laws. As enunciated in under DOJ Ministry Circular No. 15 (Series of 1982) and Department of Labor and Employment Department (DOLE) Order No. 40-G-03 (Series of 2010), no criminal information can be filed against workers without the required clearance from the DOLE. Absent such clearance, the courts are mandated to dismiss the charges outright. Such a policy, started after the formal lifting of martial law, aims to resolve rather than aggravate labor disputes and regulate the proclivity of capitalists to engage in harassment suits against workers.

We condemn Pasay Assistant City Prosecutor Orlando Mariano and Judge Bibiano Colasito of the Pasay MTC Branch 44 for finding probable cause and ordering the issuance of arrest warrants against 39 PALEA members, two of whom are women. These officers of the court not only defied labor statutes but infringed on our members right to due process, and thus deserve to face administrative charges.

Further we denounce PAL lawyer Atty. Santiago “Sonny” Quial for his legal machinations. Quial plans to run for city councilor if not district representative in the coming elections. As many PALEA members are Pasay voters, we will make sure that a law breaker does not become a law maker.

Finally we thank our brothers and sisters in the labor movement both here and abroad for their solidarity. As part of this solidarity, a global day of action for PALEA and other airline workers will be held on September 27, anniversary of the protest against outsourcing at PAL. Aside from rallies in Manila and Cebu, actions are scheduled in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada, Istanbul in Turkey, Mumbai in India, Lahore in Pakistan and San Francisco in the USA.

Labor cries foul over Pasay judge ruling against PALEA

Nagkaisa!

PRESS RELEASE

11 September 2012

The country’s biggest coalition of trade unions and labor organizations, NAGKAISA! described as ‘sadistically anti-labor’ a Pasay judge who adversely ruled against the protesting officers and members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).

On September 3, 2012, when PALEA photocopied the entire court record of a pending case of grave coercion filed by the Philippine Airlines against a number of union officers and members, it accidentally discovered from among the documents an order dated August 15, 2012 already signed by Judge Bibiano Colasito of Pasay City’s Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 44 for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against 39 officers and members of PALEA.

“What a farce! On July 25, a Pasay court under Judge Mupas freed Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on bail citing weak evidence against the former President.  It granted the same to former Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos on August 18.  Nobody noticed that during this same period, August 15, there was another Pasay judge in the name of Bibiano Colasito who ordered the arrest of 39 PALEA officers and members from a clearly non-criminal but dispute related action by workers,”bewailed NAGKAISA! leaders during a press conference held  yesterday at the TUCP headquarters in Quezon City.

NAGKAISA! said Colasito’s ruling was unfair and unjust. In particular, it cried foul on the judge’s decision to blindly entertain the information filed by the prosecutor against the accused PALEA officers and members without the required clearance from the labor department as provided under DOJ Ministry Circular No. 15 (Series of 1982) and Department of Labor and Employment Department Order No. 40-G-03 (Series of 2010).   

Labor leaders pointed out that the PAL-PALEA dispute on outsourcing/contractualization was the biggest labor dispute in the country that hugged the news during the last three years thus any action by PALEA members clearly arose from this long running dispute completely ignored by the Office of City Prosecutor and then by Judge Colasito.

“Worse, Colasito sided with the fallacious claim by PAL that PALEA members ‘coerced’ the company on October 29, 2011 when on the contrary it was the PALEA protest camp that was attacked on the same time and date by dozens of hired goons resulting in fact to the arrest of one goon, physical injuries to several PALEA members, and the destruction of half of the camp,” said NAGKAISA!. 

The labor coalition said, it will join PALEA in taking Colasito’s action to higher authorities for remedy and will not hesitate to file administrative charges against the judge if necessary. 

The group is alarmed that once Colasito’s action takes precedence, courts can anytime be utilized by employers as a tool to supress labor rights by criminalizing cases arising out of purely labor-related disputes – rights that were respected even during the martial law period.   

NAGKAISA! also called on the new PAL management to commence negotiations with PALEA rather than pursue a protracted legal battle that will never arrive at a just resolution to the lingering labor dispute in the flag carrier.

Apart from the grave coercion rap, 234 PALEA members including the top leaders are facing another case for violation of RA 9497 or the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Law in relation to their September 27, 2011 protest against outsourcing that disrupted airport operations.

NAGKAISA! is joining PALEA in its planned one year commemoration of the September 27, 2011 event which highlight this year is a Global Day of Action against outsourcing in the aviation industry organized by the International Transport Federation (ITF).

International day of action for airline workers

In September 2011 Philippine Airlines locked out 2600 workers and then sacked them. The workers had refused to accept their jobs being outsourced leading to a 50% cut in wages, loss of benefits including health insurance, longer working hours and loss of union coverage. QANTAS grounded all of their fleet in October 2011 to pressure unions to drop their demand for secure jobs and wages for all workers. QANTAS has sacked over 500 workers in a long term plan to move its heavy maintenance bases offshore. A big part of outsourcing is the attempt to break our unions. If airline workers take industrial action, on the same day, in a co-ordinated way, all over the world, we will be stronger and more effective. The workers at Philippine Airlines, organised by their union PALEA, are calling for a Global Day of Action in the airline industry on 27 September 2012, anniversary of PALEA's protest against outsourcing. The Global Day of Action has received endorsement from the International Transport Federation at their recently held Asia Pacific meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Download leaflet.