PAL employees ready for strike but will attend conciliation meet

MANILA, Philippines - Employees of Philippine Airlines (PAL) are ready to go on strike, although some of them will attend the hearing at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today.

Gerry Rivera, Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) president, said they will go on strike to defend the union from management’s alleged unfair labor practice.

“We are forced to this recourse because of management’s intransigence in persuading PALEA members into accepting the separation package,” he said.

“The strike can be as early as after 15 days since this is an unfair labor practice issue.”

Last Friday, PALEA filed again a notice of strike on grounds of unfair labor practice.

The DOLE has set a conciliation hearing at its office in Intramuros, Manila at 2 p.m. today.

Rivera said PALEA’s filing of a notice of strike is not a delaying tactic but an urgent response to management’s belligerent moves.

“Tomorrow we will present evidence of PAL’s determined and pervasive attempts at cajoling PALEA members into swallowing the bitter pill of termination,” he said.

Rivera said some 200 PALEA members and their supporters will hold a rally in front of the DOLE during the conciliation meeting.

The rally will be the start of a weeklong series of protests that would culminate in the filing of a case at the Court of Appeals on Friday to question the decision of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, he added.

Rivera laughed off PAL’s claim that PALEA members and officers are secretly asking management for the computation of their separation pay.

“This work of fiction is the output of the newly hired PR firm of PAL,” he said.

“What will make the coming holidays happy for PAL employees is not receiving separation pay but keeping our regular jobs and securing the future for our families.

“The offer of separation pay is a pittance compared to the multi-million annual bonuses doled out by PAL to its executives and directors despite its alleged huge losses for the years 2009 and 2010.”

PALEA said on Friday a motorcade will start from its office to the Court of Appeals, on to the DOLE and end in the airport area.

On the same day, synchronized picket protests at DOLE offices will be held in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo City, Davao City, Dipolog, General Santos City and Zamboanga City, PALEA added.