By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Posted date: November 01, 2010
MANILA, Philippines—Carrying a mock coffin and lighting candles, members of the ground crew union of the Philippine Airlines on Monday trooped to the Department of Labor and Employment to condemn its decision allowing the retrenchment of at least 2,600 workers of the airline.
Around 40 members of Philippine Airlines Employees Association (Palea) protested the ruling of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to allow the layoffs, adding that this sounded the death knell not just of the nation's oldest functioning labor union but also of job security in the country.
“It’s ironic that the decision came out on the eve of All Saints' and All Souls' days. This is like killing our union,” said Gerry Rivera, Palea president and vice chair of the militant Partido ng Manggagawa.
He said that if the layoffs push through, almost all of Palea’s 3,700 members could be affected. Rivera added that Palea was the oldest union in the country, having been founded in September 1946.
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