Wildcat Strike Cripples NAIA

The Manila Chronicle

Friday, November 1, 1996

11 internart'l, 30 domestic flights cancelled

BY JIM BILASANO

Correspondent

and RHOWENA PARUNGAO

Staffmember

MALACAÑANG yesterday announced it would ask other airlines to schedule more flights to ferry passengers stranded by the nationwide wildcat strike launched by the 9,000-member Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (PALEA) last Wednesday.

At least 11 international flights and over 30 domestic flights were cancelled because of the strike, which also delayed the arrival and departure of several international flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

But PAL management said it operated 12 international flights to and from Manila, including two bound for Hong Kong, one each for San Francisco, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Narita and Seoul, and flights from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Narita and Singapore.

The national carrier also said it operated 16 domestic flights from Cebu to and from various points in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Mediation talks are ongoing between Labor Undersecretary Cresenciano Trajano, National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) Commissioner Buenaventura Magsalin, PAL management representative Ismael Khan and PALEA President Alex Barrientos at the labor department office in Intramuros.

As of presstime, no clear-cut agreement for PAL workers to return to work could be forged.

Executive Secretary Ruben Torres said he has received a report from Trajano saying negotiations for a return to work by striking PAL employees was gaining ground.

But Torres said the Palace would ask other airlines to pitch in if the talks bog down.

President Ramos, he added, has ordered a close monitoring of the PAL situation and an offer of assistance if needed.

"If our assistance is needed, then we will lend assistance to facilitate an early agreement," Torres said.

Airlines to be asked to take over PAL routes include Grand Air, Air Philippines, Asian Spirit and Cebu Pacific.

Thousands of passengers have been affected by the dispute, which mainly involves maintenance workers and airport ground staff.

The strike was PAL's third in two years. PALEA struck twice in 1994, the first time for a day and the second nine days.

Hundreds of airline ground service crew and mechanics walked out of their jobs at 6 p.m. and manned pickets at the domestic and international airports in Manila and in at least two provinces, strike leaders said.

The strike began as thousands of Filipinos prepared to travel to the provinces for a three-day holiday beginning on All Saints' Day today.

"We have been pushed to the wall," said Gerry Rivera, PALEA Vice-President.

Rivera said the airline management's union-busting activities and a deadlock on collective bargaining negotiations led to the work stoppages, which would continue indefinitely.

Both PAL management and Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing are threatening to take strong action against PALEA over the wildcat strike.

PAL management said the strike was illegal and the strikers would be jobless if they did not return to work by noon today. It also threatened to file administrative and civil suits against the strikers.

It has also asked Quisumbing to order strikers to immediately lift their picket line at company gateways and deputize the police to enforce the order.

On Oct. 4, PALEA filed a strike notice with the labor department. Two other PAL unions representing pilots and flight attendants earlier filed strike notices.

Quisumbing assumed jurisdiction over PALEA's strike notice on Oct. 18 and issued an order banning the workers from striking and management from locking out workers.

The labor secretary cited national interest as reason for the strike ban, which could disrupt preparations for next month's holding of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit here.

A strike at the national flag carrier during the November 25 APEC summit could seriously undermine the government's efforts to showcase the Philippines as a new and attractive investment location.

The PAL union said it has no intention of causing a disruption or embarrassing the government during the APEC meeting and is hoping the President will intercede before then.

The union had earlier urged Mr. Ramos to intervene in the long-running dispute to avert a potentially embarrassing strike ahead of next month's APEC summit.

But the President, who has said the Philippines must put on its "best face" for the APEC summit, declined, saying he was not a labor arbiter.

Among those cancelled were international flights from Manila to Jakarta, Saigon, Kansai, Taipei, Fukuoka, Japan, Kaoshiung and Xiamen, as well as domestic flights from Manila to Zamboanga, Cotabato, General Santos, Davao, Cebu, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Legazpi, Dumaguete, Dipolog, Bacolod, Kalibo, Masbate, Baguio, Virac, San Jose, Naga and Laoag.

Pickets remained at the in-flight center in Pasay City, domestic airport gates and the Duty-Free Fiesta Center near the NAIA.

PALEA and two other airline unions want a new wage package worth P3.2 billion over the next two years. PAL has rejected this and instead offered to sell PAL shares worth P477 million at P5 per share to its employees.

The airline, hit by high operating costs and stiff competition, has lost money heavily in the past several years.

It posted a net loss of P1.75 billion in the fiscal year ended March 31, about 2% more than the previous year.

In a statement, PAL management said PALEA has "blocked and barricaded entrances and exits at the company premises, blocked the transfer of food supplies for departing planes and shut off the generator power supply at the cargo export office."

PALEA also "left thousands of passengers stranded at the terminal by refusing to unload baggage" and "stranded and delayed flights by removing the auxiliary power unit (APU) of PAL planes,” it added. With Elna Terminio, Reuter and AP