Political Tidbits

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Saturday, November 2, 1996

By BELINDA OLIVARES-CUNANAN

THE UNION of PAL's ground crew with 9,000 members, who have staged a wildcat strike, really knows how to hurt the people. The timing couldn't be worse, for tens of thousands trying to get home to observe All Saints' Day in the provinces were stranded. As yesterday's INQUIRER editorial pointed out, next to Christmas, this feast is the one that draws Filipino families together to honor their dead. The strike has also hurt many international flights which are serviced by PAL people.

The union has warned that the strike could run all the way to the Apec meet toward the end of this month. But what's more disturbing is a report going around that the Palea strike's just an indication of what's to come around that time. Talk is that some elements are trying to agitate people in PLDT, Meralco and other public utilities to join the PAL strikers in order to paralyze the country during the critical week of the Apec summit. The authorities ought to be forewarned.