3-Day PAL Strike Over

The Sunday Chronicle

Sunday, November 3, 1996

Employees back in jobs today

By ELNA TARMINIO

Staff member

JIM BILASANO

Correspondent

STRIKING ground crew of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) agreed yesterday to end their three-day strike and return to work today after the company met their demands on hiring and negotiating.

A memorandum of agreement was signed late yesterday afternoon after PAL officials and leaders of the PAL Employees' Association (PALEA) were called to a conciliation meeting by Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing.

Signing for PAL were Antonio Ocampo, Corporate Secretary and Henry So Uy, Vice President and Executive Assistant to the Chairman. Alexander Barientos led the signatories for the union.

PAL Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lucio Tan attended the meeting at the Century Park Sheraton earlier in the day, several hours after Quisumbing appealed to both parties to come to terms.

"The public interest is paramount," Quisumbing said in a radio message. "For the benefit of the public, let us return to normal."

Labor Undersecretary Cresenciano Trajano earlier said the strike would put the country in bad light in the global community as it prepares to host a summit of the 19-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum later this month.

PALEA agreed to lift immediately the picket at PAL premises and lead its members to return to work not later than 12 noon today. PAL agreed to accept the strikers without any sanction and loss of benefits or positions.

The agreement also provides that a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) will be conducted by the two parties within 10 days from Nov. 11.

PALEA was asking for a 100% increase in their salary on top of overtime pay, as well as the non-hiring of foreigners and consultants.

The union, which represents 9,000 ground personnel and mechanics, struck late Wednesday over alleged union-busting activities by the management and a deadlock in the CBA negotiations. The workers said one of their grievances is the hiring of contractual workers to do union work, thus undermining the union.

Eight international and 36 domestic PAL flights were cancelled yesterday. Foreign airlines also suffered delays in departures and arrivals because most use PAL ground crews.