People's Journal
Friday, November 1, 1996
PHILIPPINE Airlines management yesterday gave striking employes until noon today to return to work or be considered terminated from service.
PAL management issued the warning during conciliatory talks with the PAL Employees' Association initiated by the National Conciliation and Mediation Board of the Department of Labor and Employment to prevent further paralization of the national flag carrier's operations.
Meanwhile, Senate President Ernesto Maceda offered to broker negotiations between the management and the striking employes.
In a statement released to media, PAL president Jose Antonio Garcia reminded PALEA members that the current mass action is illegal since the DOLE has already assumed jurisdiction over the dispute.
According to Garcia, PAL management will consider the employes' failure to report to work today abandonment of their jobs which could lead to loss of employment status, thus giving management the right to hire new personnel.
The wildcat strike stranded thousands of passengers since early morning yesterday.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, PALEA claimed that it managed to clip PAL's wings following cancelation of seven international flights and 27 domestic flights. The number of domestic flights that could be canceled is expected to increase should the strike continue.
Some international flights at NAIA — both in-coming and out-going — were behind schedule at least two to three hours.
PAL officials at the NAIA said out of some 800 employes doing the morning shift, only half reported for work.
Meanwhile, the dialog initiated by DOLE-NCMB was still ongoing as of press time, although PAL management had asked Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing to order the striking ground personnel to immediately break their picket line at company gateways.
PAL management also asked Quisumbing to deputize the police to enforce his earlier order after the DOLE assumed jurisdiction over the labor dispute.
Qulsumbing earlier issued two separate assumption orders, sternly warning PALEA against actions that may worsen the situation.
In a motion flied by PAL lawyers last Wednesday night, PAL management stressed the urgency of an injunction or restraining order from the Labor secretary to prevent further damage to the company and inconvenience to the riding public.
Labor Undersecretary Buenaventura Magsalin, who heads the mediating panel, asked both parties to refrain from committing acts that may further aggravate the situation.
The 4,000 strong PALEA staged a wildcat strike, accusing management of disrespect of the law and rights of the employes allegedly for trying to lure workers to accept a compensation package never presented during collective bargaining. PALEA officials said this is considered as "individual bargaining" tantamount to union-busting and unfair labor practice.
Maceda said Sen. Ernesto Herrera, Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, and Sen. Marcelo Fernan, Labor Committee Chairman, would also act as mediators.
"The Senate, if needed, will be willing to offer its services to mediate the problem," he said.
He also asked President Ramos to intervene in the dispute, noting that it is a matter of public interest and could not just be ignored, especially in view of the forthcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leader's Summit.
"An airline strike is going to set back the economic recovery efforts of the administration," the Senate Chief said, adding that the grievances of the employes are reasonable.
PAL employes threatened to go on strike during the APEC forum for the alleged non-compliance of their collective bargaining agreement by management.
Maceda, who had just arrived from the United States where he attended a United Nations forum, was among those affected by the strike, since his baggages were released three hours after his arrival. A few other senators were still stranded in the US.
He said PAL management is being "unjust and unChristian" for not giving salary increases for four years now.
"The issues are clear. Even the salaries of government employes and those in the private sector are adjusted every year... So it's really unfair," he said. JEFFREY C. TIANGCO/BEN MALUMAY/TBEDICO
No comments:
Post a Comment