PALEA marks 64th anniv amid threats of mass layoffs

The organization of the ground crew of flag carrier Philippine Airlines marked its 64th founding anniversary on Tuesday, September 21, amid threats of mass layoffs that might lead to the demise of arguably the oldest existing labor union in the country.

Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) president Gerry Rivera said the union is constantly being threatened with mass layoffs, labor contractualization and union busting.

“If PALEA gets busted as a result of the planned job outsourcing and mass retrenchment of some 3,000 workers, then it will be the death of an institution," Rivera said.

In marking the union’s 64th anniversary, hundreds of PAL employees staged a march rally from PAL Gate 2 of the Nichols terminal to the Our Lady of the Airways Parish (OLAP) at the corner of MIA Road and Ninoy Aquino Ave., said Rivera, who is also the vice chairperson of the Partido Manggagawa (PM).

According to Rivera, the march rally was done to protest contractualization, outsourcing

and other forms of unfair labor practices.

Earlier, the PAL management threatened to drop some 2,700 non-core workers.

Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general said, “If PALEA -- one of the oldest and strongest unions gets busted, other unions that are younger and weaker will be easy picking for capitalists bent on copying Lucio Tan’s union-free business model."

Scores of supporters from PM and other labor groups such as the United Cavite Workers Association, the PLDT union, Makabayan and Alliance of Progressive Labor joined the PALEA protest action.

To cap the march rally that began at 8 a.m., a Mass was held at the OLAP, led by Fr. Joey Guinto, who expressed solidarity with PALEA's demand for job security. After the Eucharistic celebration, the participants held a program that lasted until noon.

PALEA was founded on September 21, 1946 at a time when PAL was still a government-owned monopoly.

The theme for this year’s anniversary activities is: “Job Security is Union Security."

“For 64 long years, PAL employees enjoyed decent wages and good working conditions, thanks to the protection provided by the union. But with the advent of globalization, PAL’s new business model apparently demands that the company be without a union and full of contractuals," said Rivera.

Last week, PALEA submitted to the Labor Secretary its comments to documents obtained from PAL, such as the March 31, 2010 financial statement and outsourcing agreements with Sky Kitchen Philippines, Inc. and ePLDT Ventus, Inc.

PALEA claimed the documents show that PAL’s financial standing does not warrant mass retrenchment of workers.

Moreover, it said subcontracting of other services is a violation of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Since April 23, the labor dispute between the PAL management and PALEA has been taken up by the Labor Secretary. Thus the union has been prevented from going on strike.

A so-called “midnight decision" allowing PAL management to proceed with the planned layoffs was issued by then Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman last June 15.

But Lagman's decision is under review by the new Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on the basis of a motion for reconsideration filed by PALEA.