PAL ground workers vote to strike over ‘union-busting’

BusinessWorld
December 8, 2010

THE PHILIPPINE Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) members want to hold a strike, citing partial results.

In a statement, the group said the balloting closed at 5:00 p.m.

yesterday for several PAL offices and outlying stations in 14 provincial cities and the call center reservations building.

“In call center reservations, there was an 84% turnout with 86% voting yes. In the outlying stations some 80% of the members voted and 80% of them voted yes,” it said.

“Not all the outlying stations however have transmitted the results.

The votes of a majority of PALEA members remain not counted yet as balloting will only end by midnight tonight at the Terminal 2 of the Manila International Airport, the international cargo terminal, the in-flight catering department and the Mactan airport in Cebu,” it added.

The group said it would decide on its next move after the final results are canvassed.

The Lucio C. Tan-led airline is questioning the move, saying PALEA’s complaints have been consolidated into one and that the union had agreed to a status quo. The previous case, which was taken over by the Labor department in April to prevent a strike, involves PAL’s decision to outsource in-flight catering, airport services, and call center reservations, which would result in the layoff of 2,600 workers.

This time, PALEA is citing “individual bargaining” allegedly being carried out by the airline management, which it claims is “union-busting.” -- AMPD