PAL SAYS OPERATIONS RETURNING TO NORMAL / WILDCAT STRIKE GROUNDED PAL
[PHOTO - PARKED PLANES AT PAL TARMAC]
MANILA, OCTOBER 1, 2011 (STAR) By Mayen Jaymalin - Philippine Airlines (PAL) is looking forward to resuming normal operations even as terminated airline employees have threatened to stage a big protest action on their last day of work today.
PAL president Jaime Bautista reported that the airline operation is almost 50 percent back to normal as of yesterday afternoon.
"Since the strike last Tuesday, we are now operating 48 percent of our average daily flight frequencies," Bautista said.
Cielo Villaluna, PAL spokesperson, said PAL has moved their operations from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 to Terminal 3.
Striking employees had set up a protest camp outside NAIA 2.
"We are now in the transition process with the third party service providers set to officially take over the non-core operations of the airline company tomorrow so the beefing up of manpower is now in full swing," Villaluna said.
"Although we are in the transition process and not in full-scale operations at this time, we assure our passengers that highly trained employees are extending services to them and that our operations would normalize in a few weeks," Villaluna added.
She also said several buses have been deployed to ferry passengers from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3.
Villaluna said PAL was forced to implement the planned outsourcing program earlier than the Oct. 1 schedule because some of the affected employees abandoned their posts and went on strike.
But Villaluna said until today, the third party service providers who will take over the airline operations are still willing to accept and absorb PAL employees who were affected by the spin-off but did not join the strike.
Villaluna said some of the affected employees have expressed willingness to apply and work under the third party service providers and avail of PAL's termination package.
"The third party service providers have been accepting outsiders, but they sent word that they are willing to accept applicants from PAL," she said.
For those employees who mounted the strike, Villaluna said the PAL legal department is already preparing the filing of administrative as well as possible criminal charges.
"They violated the law when they abandoned their posts and obstructed airport operations," she said.
The Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (PALEA), however, dismissed threats of an economic sabotage case from the government and an illegal strike suit from PAL management.
"We are confident that PALEA's protest against contractualization last Tuesday is within the bounds of the constitutionally guaranteed right to seek redress of grievances," PALEA president Gerry Rivera said.
Rivera also announced that their members are set to hold a big protest at the airport today to dramatize their objection against the impending outsourcing program that would result in the layoff of 2,600 employees.
But Villaluna said PAL is coordinating with authorities to ensure the safety of passengers amid the planned massive protest action.
Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the Department of Labor and Employment is willing to mediate between PAL management and the striking employees should they opt to sit down and resolve their differences. – With Rudy Santos, Zinnia de la Peña
71 more flights canceled as strike cripples PAL by Jeremiah F. de Guzman, Eric Apolonio and Vito Barcelo
[PHOTO - STRANDED PASSENGERS AT PHILIPPINE AIRLINES]
PHILIPPINE Airlines said it was operating on a reduced schedule Thursday with 71 flights canceled, 28 of them to international destinations, as it entered the third day of a protest by its ground workers.
The airline also transferred 12 domestic flights to Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as its hub in Terminal 2 struggled with the fallout from the ground workers' strike that started Tuesday.
Flights to and from Roxas, Cagayan de Oro, Tagbilaran, Iloilo, Tacloban and Puerto Princesa were transferred to Terminal 3.
Transport Secretary Manuel Roxas II said his department would monitor the crisis and make sure the dispute did not affect the safety of passengers.
"We provide support as may be requested," Roxas said, adding he was satisfied with the way airport officials were dealing with the situation.
But PAL urged airport authorities to clear the traffic caused by protesters from the Philippine Airlines Employees Association, which was causing further flight delays and frustrating efforts to bring operations back to normal.
"Despite our best efforts to restore normalcy at NAIA Terminal 2, it is unfortunate that the union still persists in hampering our airport operations and preventing the delivery of service to our passengers," the airline said.
Earlier, management said striking workers damaged some ground equipment, compounding the flight delays.
Airline president Jaime Bautista said the operations in its Manila hub were still running at only 50 percent.
He said the airline had endorsed some of its passengers to partner airlines to reduce the inconvenience to them.
The union on Thursday dismissed threats that the government would charge them with economic sabotage.
"We are confident that Palea's protest against contractualization last Tuesday is within the bounds of the constitutionally guaranteed right to seek redress of grievances," union president Gerry Rivera said.
He said it was the airline, not the workers, that shut down the company's computer system and canceled the flights after the protest began.
The union also announced it will hold a big protest at the airport today, the last day of work for the 2,600 PAL employees who are being laid off as part of the airline's program to outsource ground services.
The union has set up a protest camp manned by several hundred members outside PAL's In-Flight Center along MIA Road near Terminal 2.
"We call on PALEA members to report for duty at the protest camp since PAL has locked us out of our workplace at Terminal 2 and other offices," Rivera said.
The union and other labor groups are scheduled to hold rallies in Davao.
FROM ASSOCIATED LABOR UNIONS-TUCP
TUCP PARTY-LIST STATEMENT 30 September 2011
TUCP strongly supports PALEA Cautions Palace on legal action against workers
The Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP Party-List) strongly supports members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) on their protest action against the impending termination of 2,600 employees.
President Benigno C. Aquino is being badly advised by functionaries and factotums on the possibility of bringing up criminal charges. Workers are merely exercising their legitimate rights which outsourcing will destroy. Philippine Airlines' (PAL) management decision to terminate regular rank-and-file employees is on its face a blatant violation of the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The present difficulties in the airline is a labor dispute caused by unfair labor practices committed by the PAL management – a deliberate attack on the workers' fundamental rights and core labor standards using the veil of corporate sustainability and competitiveness.
The Palace's action will undermine the Constitution and create a chilling effect throughout the entire labor movement. PPP cannot be built on workers being the whipping boys, sacrificial lambs as government follows the path of least resistance to curry favor with capital and oligarchs.
What we have now is a two-faced government: liberal democrat with respect to fight against grafters and outright reactionary with respect to workers. President must not be captive to his advisers. It is the kind of gentler, kinder society that President Cory would wish that he places at risk.
HON. RAYMOND DEMOCRITO C. MENDOZA Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP Party-List) South Wing 204, House of Representatives, Batasan 1126, Quezon City MRO: Louisivi J. Oliva Mobile No.: (0922) 883-8453 TeleFax. No: (02) 951-3011
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