PAL Hit by Strike

Manila Bulletin

Thursday, October 31, 1996

The Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (PALEA) went on strike yesterday, charging PAL management led by Lucio Tan with unfair labor practices.

They also charged management with gross violation of the economic provisions of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), intransigence in the negotiation for a new CBA, and violation of work rules, resulting in the degradation of the safety measures for passengers.

Bong Peña, PALEA Secretary General, said the strike began at 6 p.m yesterday and picket lines were set up at PAL offices at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and the Manila domestic terminal.

Picket lines were also at PAL's two in-flight gates and the maintenance center at the NAIA.

Peña said the PALEA, which has more than 9,000 members, the biggest of the three labor unions at PAL, will also picket other airports where PAL has offices. The two other unions at PAL are the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Phiippines (FASAP) and Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines (ALPAP).

Some flights have been cancelled because of the strike, NAIA officials said.

PALEA went on strike despite Labor Secretary Leonardo A. Quisumbing's assumption of jurisdiction over the labor dispute at PAL. He had earlier directed the union and the management to refrain from committing any act that could worsen the situation.

Quisumbing said a work stoppage at PAL at this time that the country is preparing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Nov. 25 will cause international embarrassment to the nation.

He said suspension of the operation of the country's flag carrier will also adversely affect other business firms whose activities are closely intertwined with PAL.

But PALEA said the labor unrest at PAL was worsened by Quisumbing's assumption of jurisdiction.

“The assumption of jurisdiction did not contribute to the eventual resolution of the labor dispute,” PALEA said. "It merely crippled the union from further exercising its rights guaranteed by law."

PALEA said Quisumbing failed to compel PAL management to comply with its duty to bargain collectively and has fallen into PAL's ploy to kill negotiations for the new CBA’s.

Earlier, PALEA had filed contempt charges against Tan and top officials of PAL.

Labor Undersecretary Jose Español said PALEA demanded that PAL management, particularly its President, Antonio Garcia, be held for direct contempt for violating a provision of Quisumbing's order.

Español said the contempt petition is scheduled to be heard on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The management side will also be heard during the Nov. 5 hearing, he said. (E. T. Suarez, Ronniel de Guzman & Anjo Perez)

Ramos

President Ramos urged the strike-hit Philippine Airlines (PAL) management yesterday to settle its differences with PAL workers and look for the best solution to settle the labor dispute.

The President said he received a letter of appeal from the striking PAL workers for him to intercede in the row and he forwarded the letter to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

"First of all, I am not a labor arbiter. Let the market forces and the DOLE resolve this issue," he stressed.

The Chief Executive said the DOLE has taken cognizance of the concerns and issues raised by the PAL Employees' Association (PALEA) and the Alliance of PAL Labor Unions (APLU) against PAL management.

Earlier, the APLU charged PAL management with violating existing work rules to the detriment of the riding public, rampant contractualization of regular jobs aimed at displacing some 4,000 workers, intransigence in the negotiation for new collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), and termination of 183 officers and members of the union despite the signing of the social accord brokered by President Ramos in 1994.

President Ramos brushed aside any perceived adverse effects of the strike next month being planned by PAL workers, saying there are other carriers in the country which can handle the bulk of air passengers coming for the 4th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Summit.

APLU, composed of the PALEA, the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP), and the Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines (ALPAP), has charged the PAL management led by Lucio Tan with gross violation of the economic provisions of existing CBA and unilateral implementation of various job-threatening schemes such as joint ventures and wet-leases of used aircraft of foreign airlines.

In 1994, PALEA staged a strike that partially grounded several domestic flights and delayed international flight schedules. President Ramos stepped in on this row to prevent further stoppage of airline service.