Defer strike, Palace asks PALEA

By GENALYN D. KABILING
December 8, 2010, 6:15pm
The Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang Wednesday appealed to disgruntled ground crew employees of Philippine Airlines (PAL) to defer their planned strike pending a government review on their conflict with the management.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. cautioned that a work stoppage by the PAL Employees Association (PALEA) may only complicate labor conflict, adding that the Palace is exhausting efforts to resolve the situation.

Ochoa was recently assigned by President Benigno S. Aquino III to review a decision of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) that allowed the outsourcing of some services of PAL which may affect more than 2,600 employees. He was also asked to facilitate the talks between PAL and its ground workers’ union for an immediate solution to the row.

“We are appealing to the workers because there is still a way. We still have the jurisdiction to resolve the case. We hope they would not push through with the strike,” Ochoa said in Filipino over radio.
“I think they might even commit a violation and it might complicate matters,” he added, in case the workers press ahead with their protest action.

Asked about the status of the government review on the PAL case, Ochoa said he already asked justice and labor departments to turn over all related documents on the airline row.

The management of the flag carrier, on the other hand, appreciated Malacañang’s appeal to the PALEA to exercise restraint in their planned strike for the sake of the flying public, particularly at this yuletide season.

“PAL would like to thank President Aquino and Executive Secretary [Paquito] Ochoa for their immediate response to this potential labor crisis at Philippine Airlines. We all know that a work stoppage would not only hurt the company, related industries and the country’s economy, but also would wreak havoc on the travel plans of thousands of local and foreign travelers,” PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.

PAL believes that the Office of the President has primary and official jurisdiction over the PAL-PALEA labor case.

“PAL defers and respects the good judgment of the President. We hope PALEA will do the same and wait for the results of the official review which they requested for in the first place,” Villaluna said.

PAL was steadfast on its position that PALEA’s strike vote bid has no legal justification.