Palea ready to hold strike vote next week

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net First Posted 09:26:00 12/02/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Members of Philippine Airlines Employees Association (Palea) are prepared to conduct the strike vote next week if President Benigno Aquino III remains undecided on their appeal to junk the ruling of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz allowing the retrenchment of some of the airline's 2,600 employees.

According to Marlon Manuel, the legal counsel of the union, "We are expecting that something will happen soon, but the union is already preparing for a strike vote in preparation and in defense of the union and the jobs of the employees."

Manuel said that while Malacanang has not committed to anything, the union sees as positive sign in the President's order to retrieve all pertinent documents from the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) so he could review it.

On November 12, Palea filed a petition before the Office of the President to reverse Baldoz's decision, which gave the go-signal for the airline to retrench some 2,600 regular employees following the company's decision to outsource some of its operations.

Conciliation meetings at the DoLE also took place, but were suspended while awaiting the Palace action on the petition.

The lawyer criticized the PAL management for continuously implementing the DoLE order even if the case is still under petition.

He said he received reports that the employees are being given copies of the agreement and are being asked to sign.

"Majority of the employees are against the termination and their separation and their transfer to the service providers," Manuel said.

Manuel said that nothing prevents the union from conducting the strike vote, as long as it gives the DoLE a 24-hour notice.