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/

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.

Protesta laban sa $1B pautang sa IMF: Grupo ng manggagawa susugod sa Central Bank bukas

Press Release

June 26, 2012

Ang mga manggagawang myembro ng Partido ng Manggagawa ay susugod bukas ng umaga sa opisina ng Central Bank at Department of Finance sa Roxas Boulevard sa Maynila upang batikusin ang planong $1 bilyong pautang ng Pilipinas sa International Monetary Fund (IMF). Ang pautang ay para diumano sa Euro crisis pero nag-aaakusa ang Partido ng Manggagawa na gagamitin ito ng IMF para magpataw ng kontra-manggagawang austerity schemes sa Europa.

“VIP treatment kay PNoy ang mga bankero sa Europa na makikinabang sa $1 bilyong pinagpawisan ng ating OFW’s. Samantala deadma lang si PNoy sa hinaing ng manggagawang Pilipino noong Mayo Uno para sa dagdag sahod at trabahong regular,” giit ni Renato Magtubo, tagapangulo ng Partido ng Manggagawa.

Paliwanag ni Gerry Rivera, pangulo ng unyong Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), “Ang mismong pagtutol sa utang ang paraan para tumulong sa mga taga-Europa sapagkat magiging biktima lang sila ng mga dikta ng IMF gaya ng pagkaltas sa sweldo, pagbabaklas sa proteksyon sa paggawa, pagsasapribado ng mga kompanya at pagtitipid sa mga serbisyo publiko. Ang IMF ay manunuba di manunubos.”

Sasama sa rali bukas ang mga miyembro ng PALEA na nasa ika-10 buwan ng kanilang laban kontra kontraktwalisasyon sa PAL. Nananawagan ang PALEA sa bagong management ng PAL sa pangunguna ni Ramon Ang ng San Miguel Corp. na ibalik ang mga regular na manggagawa upang makalipad muli ng maayos ang flag carrier ng bansa.

Dagdag ni Magtubo, “Pakikiisa hindi pautang ang tamang pagtulong sa mamamayan ng Europa. Sinusuportahan namin ang sigaw ng mga manggagawa ng Europa para sa growth sa halip na austerity, ibig sabihin, umento sa sahod, regular na trabaho, serbisyong panlipunan at pagbubuwis sa mayayaman upang ibangon ang ekonomiya ng mga bansang sadlak sa krisis gaya ng Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy at Cyprus. Sa katunayan ganitong patakaran din ang dapat ipatupad ni PNoy sa Pilipinas.”

Workers slam PNoy’s $1B loan to IMF

Press Release

June 26, 2012

The labor party Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today slammed the government’s decision to loan $1 billion of the country’s foreign reserves to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The fund is intended for the Eurozone crisis but PM avers that it will be used by the IMF to impose anti-workers austerity schemes in Europe.

“We call on PNoy to reconsider his decision. $1 billion is better used for social protection at home than social devastation abroad. The workers and people of Greece, Spain, Portugal,Italy and even France have rejected austerity through the polls and by protests,” insisted Renato Magtubo, PM national chair.

Tomorrow PM together with the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) will stage a rally at the Central Bank headquarters and office of the Department of Finance in Manila in protest of the loan to the IMF. The rally also coincides with the 9^th month anniversary of PALEA’s fight against outsourcing. Last year, on September 27 PALEA launched a protest action at the airport against contractualization which was forcibly suppressed by airport police and security guards. PALEA is calling on the new management of Philippine Airlines led by Ramon Ang to revive the flag carrier by reinstating its regular workers.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president, said that “PNoy readily comes to the aid of European bankers but he is blind and deaf to the cries of the Filipino workers for wage increase and regular jobs. In opposing the loan to the IMF, we are extending the hand of solidarity to our brothers and sisters in Europe. Let us help the needy not the greedy. The IMF will use our $1B—which is the blood and sweat of our OFW’s—to bail out the bankers of Europe and squeeze money from the workers through cuts in wages, pension, subsidies and social programs.”

Magtubo added that “The IMF wants the workers to pay for the crisis of the capitalists. The Eurozone crisis is a result of European governments’ bailing out their bankers which were saddled by failed speculative investments in the subprime housing market in the US that collapsed in 2008. As a result of austerity tied to loans, Greece is in recession for five years running with unemployment at more than 20% in general but more than 50% for the youth. This year Spain fell into a double-dip recession with unemployment rates similar to Greecewhich will be aggravated by austerity measures dictated in the recent bailout scheme.”

“Just like Europe, the Philippines too is a victim to the anti-labor and anti-people policies of the IMF. Liberalization has led to the collapse of Philippine industry and agriculture resulting to job losses and rural unemployment. Privatization and deregulation has led to price hikes and worsening poverty. It is time for a paradigm shift. International solidarity instead of IMF austerity. Uphold growth and hope instead of recession and injustice in Europe and thePhilippines. Shift to a new paradigm of living wages, regular jobs, taxes on the rich, social services, national industrialization and agrarian reform,” Rivera explained.

PALEA ok’s CA mediation, calls on PAL to reinstate workers

Press Release

April 21, 2012                 

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) yesterday submitted a manifestation to the Court of Appeals (CA) expressing its willingness to participate in mediation to seek a settlement to the labor dispute. “The new management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) should recognize that the solution to the flag carrier’s woes involves not only need a refleeting of its aging aircraft but more so the reinstatement of its skilled regular workers,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president.

The CA Tenth Division in a resolution dated March 27, 2012, asked the parties to the case docketed as CA G.R. SP No. 120977, if they are willing to have the issue referred to the Philippine Mediation Center-Court of Appeals for “a final opportunity to explore the possibility of coming up with an amicable settlement of their dispute.” The parties were given 10 days from receipt of the resolution to file their manifestations.

Rivera explained that “PALEA considers the CA’s mediation offer as an opening to end the labor row which could not happened without the perseverance in protest by some 2,000 of our members for more than six months and in the face of three typhoons, two attacks on its campout and spending the Christmas holidays at the picketlines. The CA resolution further spurs us to continue the protest actions until we have finally won our demands.”

In the coming Labor Day celebrations, among the issues to be raised is the recall of retrenched PALEA members in particular and the protection of job security in general. Meanwhile a leader of the Qantas engineers union is on a solidarity visit and has spoken at the PALEA protest camp in the last few days about concrete support in the fight against outsourcing. The visit follows a two-week solidarity tour of Australia by the PALEA vice president and an officer of Partido ng Manggagawa to solicit moral and material support for PALEA.

Rivera is also scheduled to go on another two-week tour this time of the United States. He will attend a May Day forum in Washington DC and then proceed to Chicago, San Francisco andHonolulu to meet labor unions and Filipino-American groups about PALEA’s struggle.

PALEA holds solidarity action for Port of Auckland wharfies

Press Release

March 14, 2012

PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) picketed the New Zealand embassy in a show of solidarity for the embattled Port of Auckland workers. “We extend the hand of solidarity to our brother and sister wharfies who are for fighting for job security and better working conditions. The struggles they are waging mirror the same demands that we are currently fighting for at Philippine Airlines,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (Labor Party-Philippines).

He added that “The fight against outsourcing and contractualization is a global battle being fought by Auckland wharfies in New Zeland, PAL employees in the Philippines, Qantas workers in Australia and longshore workers in the US.” Members of PALEA picketed the New Zealand embassy along Buendia in Makati by 10:00 a.m. A delegation went to the embassy premises to deliver a letter of concern.

The picket was in response to the call for support by the International Transport Workers Federation, a global union federation of some 5 million workers in 155 countries. PALEA’s letter also expressed concern at the struggles of locked out meat workers at AFFCO and striking rest care workers of Oceania in New Zealand.

The PALEA protesters shouted “Ang laban ng wharfies ay laban ng PALEA. We are all wharfies.” Rivera explained that “PALEA condemns the drive by the management of Port ofAuckland—as well as AFFCO and Oceania—to slash labor costs, undercut labor standards and weaken job security, all in the name of competitiveness.”

The Port of Auckland strike is arguably the biggest labor dispute in New Zealand at the moment. Some 300 port workers have been dismissed after going on strike and in the midst of contract negotiations. Moreover port management has announced that it will outsource its stevedoring services.

PALEA’s letter of concern stated that “We urge the government of New Zealand to address the demands of workers at the Port of Auckland, AFFCO and Oceania. New Zealand is signatory to international labor conventions that guarantee basic workers rights and labor standards, and thus bound by its provisions. The international labor movement would ensure through solidarity actions that your government provides an environment in which workers rights and welfare are secured.”

Rivera insisted that “We will be monitoring the situation at the Port of Auckland, AFFCO and Oceania. We will continue to hold solidarity actions until our concerns have been acted upon in the interest of the workers of New Zealand.”

PALEA gets support of world’s biggest flight attendants union

Press Release
February 9, 2012
PALEA

The Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) got the support of the world’s biggest flight attendants union, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, in its long-standing dispute with Philippine Airlines (PAL). The US-based AFA-CWA, which represents some 60,000 flight attendants at 23 airlines, submitted a letter of concern to PAL’s office at the Los Angeles International Airport last February 6.

“We are honored to receive the support of our sister and brother flight attendants from America. Their voice of support adds to the growing chorus of solidarity for PALEA’s fight against outsourcing and union-busting which is a common concern with workers everywhere,” declared Gerry Rivera, PALEA president.

In its letter to PAL, AFA International President Veda Shook said that “Your employees want a life of dignity for workers and their families, and recognition for the sacrifices they have made to make your airline profitable… We will stand in support of the public boycott of Lucio Tan-owned PAL and Air Philippines until management has heeded workers’ demands for a return to their regular jobs.”

AFA-CWA’s solidarity action for PALEA coincided with the Occufly protest staged at LAX by scores of flight attendants and union supporters. The Occufly action was in opposition to corporate greed and union busting by US airlines. The Occufly protesters lambasted the restriction on collective bargaining rights contained in the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill pending in the US Congress.

“This controversial labor provision is nothing less than an attack by the 1% against the 99%. We saw it in Wisconsin and Ohio, now we see it for airline and rail workers who are simply seeking the benefits of collective bargaining or fighting to hang on to collective bargaining rights,” Shook explained of Occufly.

US-based unions and Filipino-American groups are spearheading boycott campaigns in the West Coast cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Vancouver where PAL has its most profitable flights. Rivera met with the top union officials of the AFA-CWA and the AFL-CIO last January 24 in Washington DC to solicit support for its fight against contractualization and the boycott campaign.

The meetings with American union leaders were on the side of Rivera’s testimony on the suppression of labor rights by the Philippine government. Rivera faced-off with government officials led by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz at the hearing held by the US Trade Representative (USTR). At stake at the hearing were trade benefits accorded by the United States government to countries which it deems respects core labor rights and standards.

PALEA takes fight to Australia and Canada

PALEA VP Alnem Pretencio meeting ASU airlines delegates (Photo courtesy of ASU)

 

PALEA VP meeting with ASU organizers (Photo courtesy of ASU)

Press Release

December 8, 2011

PALEA

The embattled Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) is taking its fight against the outsourcing and contractualization plan of Philippine Airlines to Australia and Canada. The vice president of PALEA, Alnem Pretencio, is in Australia now on a tour sponsored by unions with the aim of soliciting international support.

Meanwhile this coming Saturday (Eastern Standard Time), Canadian unions and groups together with the Filipino community will hold a demonstration at the Toronto international airport in solidarity with PALEA. Toronto hosts the biggest population of immigrant Filipinos in Canada.

Aside from expressing for PALEA’s demand for immediate reinstatement, the Canadian groups will be disseminating information about the boycott campaign against PAL and AirPhilippines, both owned by Lucio Tan. Yesterday representatives of various civil society organizations of migrants, students and NGO’s held a press conference to call for “Don’t fly PAL and AirPhil” and denounced Tan as “a Grinch who stole Christmas from some 2,600 PAL employees.”

On its second day of the tour, Pretencio had already met with bus, tram and train unions inMelbourne. Also he is scheduled to meet with airport workers represented by the Australian Services Union (ASU) and the Qantas aircraft engineers union ALAEA. More meetings are planned in the weekend and next week including with the militant Maritime Union of Australia. Pretencio’s tour was held in coordination with the Australia-Asia Workers Links and ASU.

In Toronto, the airport workers represented by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), Canadian Union of Public Employees and the International Association of Machinists took the lead in organizing the rally for PALEA. Activists of the Occupy Toronto are also slated to participate in the solidarity action.

Among the reasons for the warm reception received by Pretencio in Australia is the solidarity shown by PALEA for the Qantas workers who are in a similar dispute with management over outsourcing, job security and pay. PALEA has twice picketed the Qantas office in Makatiduring the lockout in November 1 and as part of the global day of action for Qantas families last November 16.

The support by Canadian unions does not end with the Toronto rally. Early next year, the groups are planning to hold a similar solidarity action in the Vancouver international airport. CAW has vowed to make an active boycott campaign in the Vancouver since PAL operates flights to and from the international airport.

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