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

Hope springs eternal at PALEA protest camp

PRESS RELEASE

December 23, 2011

They have been out of jobs during the last three (3) months but for members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) hope springs eternal at their protest camp which they likened to the traditional “belen” that gave temporary shelter to the infant Jesus. 

“Without the protest camp, PALEA members could have been wandering anywhere after being hit by the man-made tsunami of outsourcing.  Had we not fought the outsourcing plan, we would have ended having separate Christmas parties at Skylogistics, Skykitchen and SPI Global,” stated PALEA President Gerry Rivera. 

PALEA and their supporters in the labor movement and the Church are celebrating Christmas at their protest camp located at PAL’s In-Flight Center near Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. 

Blessed with support

Fortunately PALEA’s protest camp is blessed with continuing local and international support.  Aside from the Church-Labor Coneferece (CLC), the vibrant civil society organizations and migrant groups have joined the boycott campaign against PAL.

Today, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, director of CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action is celebrating an anticipated Misang Gabi at the camp.  Pabillo, who is also the co-chair of the CLC has been very supportive of PALEA’s struggle against mass layoff and contractualization. 

After the mass, the CLC, which includes different labor groups and church institutions, will share a Christmas party with PALEA members.  On the 24^th and 25^th PALEA members and their families will greet Christmas at the protest camp, their first noche buena celebration done outside their homes.

Scrooge PAL

Trade unions and international labor advocacy groups across the world, have also come in full support for PALEA.  Just recently, the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) has included PAL in its list of ‘scrooge corporations’. PAL joined Dole, Hershey’s and Wal-Mart in ILRF’s 2011 Working for Scrooge report (see link at http://www.laborrights.org/sites/default/files/publications-and-resources/Working_For_Scrooge_2011.pdf).

ILRF is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. It promotes enforcement of labor rights internationally through public education and mobilization, research, litigation, legislation, and collaboration with labor, government and business groups.

PAL executives admitted recently that the company incurred heavy losses at the height of the labor row and that its operations cannot get back to full normal even until next year.  Its reputation was also badly hurt.

Rivera, who is also the vice-chair of Partido ng Manggagagawa (PM), is confident PALEA has a good chance of winning its fight against PAL’s outsourcing/contractualization plan. 

“Of course nobody wants to celebrate Christmas the second time around here at the protest camp,” quipped Rivera.

Victims of man-made calamity: PALEA members celebrating Christmas at protest camp

 PRESS RELEASE

December 21, 2011

Describing themselves as ‘victims of a man-made calamity’, members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), with their supporters in the labor movement and the Church, are celebrating Christmas at their protest camp located at PAL’s In-Flight Center near Terminal 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“We could have joined the rest of our nation in the relief drive for the victims of Sendong had we not been locked out by PAL owner Lucio Tan.  Unfortunately we are also victims of a man-made calamity.  2011 is indeed a very difficult year for the working class and the poor who were made to suffer from both natural and man-made calamities,” stated PALEA President Gerry Rivera.  

Rivera explained that PALEA can’t do anything right now except to sympathize with the victims of Sendong, unlike before when they can easily mobilize and share their resources for victims of calamities through internal fund and relief drive. 

“To sustain our fight against the wrath of corporate greed, we have also been asking for financial and logistical support from our allies here and abroad during the last three months,” added Rivera who is also the vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).

Continuing support

Fortunately PALEA is blessed with continuing local and international support.  On December 23, Bishop Broderick Pabillo, director of CBCP’s National Secretariat for Social Action will be celebrating a 4:00 PM anticipated mass at PALEA’s protest camp. 

Pabillo, who is also the co-chair of the Church-Labor Conference (CLC) has been very supportive of PALEA’s struggle against mass layoff and contractualization. Aside from the CLC, the vibrant civil society organizations and migrant groups have also joined the boycott campaign against PAL.

After the mass, the CLC, which includes different labor groups and church institutions, will share a Christmas party with PALEA members.

On the 24^th and 25^th PALEA members and their families will greet Christmas at the protest camp, their first noche buena celebration done outside their homes.

PAL as Scrooge

Trade unions and international labor advocacy groups across the world, have also come in full support for PALEA.  Just recently, the International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) has included PAL in its list of ‘scrooge corporations’. PAL joined Dole, Hershey’s and Wal-Mart in ILRF’s 2011 Working for Scrooge report (see link at http://www.laborrights.org/sites/default/files/publications-and-resources/Working_For_Scrooge_2011.pdf).

ILRF is an advocacy organization dedicated to achieving just and humane treatment for workers worldwide. It promotes enforcement of labor rights internationally through public education and mobilization, research, litigation, legislation, and collaboration with labor, government and business groups.