Meet PALEA: Labor Aristocrat

The Manila Chronicle

Saturday, November 2, 1996

Quick Notes

By RAUL VALINO

AS OF last night the striking members of the Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (PALEA) were still on strike in defiance of a return-to-work order of Acting Labor Secretary Crescenciano B. Trajano.

Reason: The PALEA said Trajano is only an acting secretary and that only an order signed by Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing can make its members go back to work.

Actually, it seems that what the PALEA members want is to get paid for doing nothing at PAL. Here's a list of additional benefits they want from PAL before returning to "work."

1. Increase in vacation leave days and sick leave days (from present maximum of 20 working days to 30 working days).

2. Increase in emergency leave days from five to 10 working days.

3.Introduction of other leaves (one day menstrual leave, seven days matrimonial leave, three days family leave, seven days parental leave and a PALEA anniversary leave.

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In addition to, or in spite of those numerous leaves, the PALEA also wants PAL to grant the members the following benefits, on top of those they are already receiving.

1. Across-the-board wage increase of P5,000 in addition to all mandated government wage adjustments or allowance increases.

2. Christmas bonus of 150% of basic salary.

3. Midyear bonus equivalent to one month of current basic salary.

4. 13th month pay computed from employees' annual income divided by 12.

5. Increase in overtime premium rates from 35.5% to 50%.

All five demands will cost PAL P3.2 billion a year.

After they have gotten all those additional leaves and cash benefits for the fewer days that they are supposed to work the PALEA members want, after retirement, a lifetime — yes, lifetime — allocation of one sack of rice or equivalent, lifetime trip passes for overseas and domestic travels (free ride, in short), lifetime hospitalization, medical services professional fees, medicines, etc., lifetime monthly pension of P4,000 or 60% of latest pay in addition to existing retirement plan benefits.

PAL employees are the highest paid in the Philippine airline industry.

In fact, one-half of 50% of PAL's P4-billion annual payroll goes to the PALEA members. A typical rank-and-file employee of PAL already gets an annual basic salary of P88,175. in addition to the many benefits in terms of leaves, bonuses and medical services, among other things.

They receive a 10th month pay which is given in June and a 14th month pay which they get in December.

Each employee is also entitled to non-wage benefits amounting to P18,146.The benefits are in the form of one sack of rice a month, comprehensive medical, hospitalization and dental benefits; and medical plans for dependents, among other benefits.

Who's behind the strike?

Could there be someone behind the wildcat PAL strike?

It looks like that the PALEA has a counsel who is also working for another airline as a lawyer.

It is said that this lawyer also works for the labor unions of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT).

This lawyer, it is said, is also working closely with the anti-APEC movement which want to see the November APEC meeting in Subic a disaster.

Some fear that their lawyer is also convincing the unions of Meralco and PLDT to go on strike before the APEC meeting, to paralyze power distribution and telecommunication services and embarrass President Ramos before the international community.

The PAL wildcat strike is only the start of these series of disturbances being lined up for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit here this month, according to observers.

Even Labor Undersecretary Trajano senses something wrong with the timing of the strike.

In his return-to-work order, Trajano said that any work stoppage at PAL would adversely affect air transport service in the country and embarrass the nation as it plays host to the APEC summit.

But people are angry at PALEA. Especially those who thought they could catch a flight to their hometowns Thursday to visit their dead on Nov. 1.

Without any warning, the PALEA members called the strike and grounded all aircraft on Thursday just when most ticket holders were already at the airports ready to board their planes for the provinces for Manila or for some other destinations.

It was an act of cruelty, the passengers said.