Labor Boss Prohibits PAL Worker's Strike

The Freeman

Sunday, October 20, 1996

By MILDRED V. GALARPE

Staff Member

THE Office of the Secretary of Labor and Employment has assumed jurisdiction over the labor dispute between the Philippine Airlines and the Philippine Airlines Employees' Association.

This came after PAL already invoked the assumptive powers of the Office of the Secretary of Labor and Employment over the labor dispute with PALEA.

The assumption of DOLE on the case means that any strike or lockout, actual or imminent is now a prohibited activity. Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing in his order dated October 18, 1996, said.

The parties are strictly enjoined to cease and desist from committing any acts that will exacerbate the situation.

The secretary said that a work stoppage at PAL, at a time when the country is busy with the preparation for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Conference and with APEC conferences already going on will certainly cause international embarrassment to the country.

At the same time, a work stoppage will adversely affect economically other business entities whose activities are closely intertwined with PAL.

But above all, disruption of the operations of PAL will unduly deprive the government of the much needed revenues to fund critical development projects.

A work stoppage. Quisumbing said, will also affect the economic viability of PAL which has already been suffering from financial losses during the past few years and not just this, it will also cause serious financial hardships on its 1,400 employees and their dependents whose source of livelihood is now at risk.

Quisumbing said that to expedite the resolution of the dispute, the parties are directed to submit their position papers and other pertinent and material document to his office within ten days.

PALEA has accused PAL of unfair labor practice such as check-off shortage, delay in the check-off remittance, threats of sanctions to officers and members, discrimination in granting increase to flight dispatchers and etc.

They filed on October 4. 1996 a Notice of Strike with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board and in the conferences conducted on October 10, 15 and 18, no settlement was reached.

PALEA members earlier conducted a strike vote in October 15 and submitted the results to the NCMB, National Capital Region. A strike at PAL is imminent.

Quisumbing said that the national government has a substantial equity at PAL and aside from that, it is the country's flag-carrier, and a great deal of commercial and industrial trade, domestic and international is dependent upon its continued and unhampered operation.