The Manila Chronicle
Thursday, October 31, 1996
THOUSANDS of passengers were stranded last night after employees of Philippine Airlines (PAL) struck in protest against alleged union-hosting activities and unfair labor practices of management.
Jose Bong Peñas. National Secretary of the Philippine Airlines Employees' Association (PALEA) said the strike started at the Mactan International Airport at 6 p.m. followed by its Davao chapter minutes later.
Operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport ground to a halt at 7 p.m. as word of the strike in Mactan and Davao reached employees of the country's flag carrier at the premier airport.
The union filed the strike notice yesterday morning through the mail.
President Ramos yesterday rejected a plea by the workers for him to intervene in their long-running pay dispute with the national carrier, saying he was not a labor arbiter.
Mr. Ramos said during his weekly news conference that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) was already in touch with both management and workers in an attempt to solve the dispute.
PAL union on Tuesday urged the President to intervene to help avert a potentially embarrassing strike called to coincide with next month's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit which the Philippines is hosting.
"I passed (the union request) immediately to the DOLE because I should not be a labor arbiter," the President said.
Mr. Ramos welcomed PAL management's offer to sell shares to employees unhappy with a proposed new wage agreement, saying this was part of the solution DOLE was trying to get the two sides to accept. Elna Terminio
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