Monday, 13 December 2010 00:00
The Manila Times
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) over the weekend announced that they are now conducting back-channel efforts to avoid the looming strike of employees of flag-carrier Philippine Airlines. DOTC spokesman Dante Velasco revealed in an interview aired over dzBB radio that they are conducting the efforts to stop the strike especially this holiday season for the sake of the passengers.
“We are continuing our back-channel efforts. We remain hopeful no strike will happen,” he said.
Velasco, however, declined to give details on the back-channel efforts, but noted that Malacañang already offered to broker mediation talks on the matter.
He added that government is confident PAL can execute its contingency measures if the strike pushes through.
“PAL has said it is ready to undertake contingency measures,” Velasco said.
Earlier, the PAL Employees Association (Palea) disclosed that 86 percent of its members who took part in a strike vote early last week were in favor of a strike to protest what the union called management’s unfair labor practices.
“The 86 percent vote is overwhelming given that we had just 24 hours to inform members of the holding of the strike ballot,” Palea President Gerry Rivera said.
He added that the union’s membership of 2,600 participated in the strike vote.
But Rivera appealed to the public for understanding.
“We understand that a strike at Philippine Airlines may inconvenience the public. But we also believe that the vast majority of the public are workers and their families who will benefit from Palea’s fight for job security and labor rights,” he added.
While PAL management reassured its passengers that PAL flights remain normal, it criticized Palea for raising fears about the strike.
“Pronouncements made by the Palea that they will stage a strike during the holidays reveal their intention to sow panic and anxiety to thousands of PAL passengers who have firmed up travel plans to spend Christmas with their loved ones,” the airlines said in a press release on its website.
No effect on flights
PAL’s Friday press release also said that employees who participated in the Palea strike vote are “ground workers mostly assigned at the ground-handling, catering and call center offices.”
“While their jobs are important, these workers play support to flight operations. They are not directly engaged in flying or maintaining the aircraft. The pilots, cabin crew and mechanics/maintenance workers are not part of the planned work stoppage,” PAL added.
The airline said that its labor case with Palea is being reviewed by Malacañang.
PAL added that they hope the union will heed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.’s appeal to exercise restraint by deferring any mass action at this time, and allow the Palace to decide on the case.
PAL spokesman Cielo Villaluna voiced high hopes for mediation talks to be brokered by Malacañang on the issue.
She said they are buoyed by the openness of Palea take part in the mediation talks.
“Kami ay naniniwala na magkakaroon ng kalutasan [We believe that there will be a solution]. We are hoping and praying this conciliation meeting brokered by Malacañang will commence anytime soon,” she said in an interview on dwIZ radio.
Villaluna added that despite the Palea’s recent strike vote, PAL employees had been “professional enough” to continue reporting for work.
FRANCIS EARL A. CUETO
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