Former PAL workers to light candles Oct. 21

CEBU, Philippines -  Former employees of the Philippine Air Lines and labor unions in Cebu will hold synchronized candle lighting on October 21 to dramatize the protest against the management of Philippine Airlines.

More than 120 local unions, 50 urban poor communities, and 30 youth chapters and organizations in Cebu have expressed their support to the synchronized candle lighting which will be held in Mandaue, Toledo, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay cities.

Some of the candle lighting points will be at the PALEA picket line at the checkpoint leading to the Mactan Cebu International Airport, in front of the General Milling Corporation in barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City, at the vicinity of MEPZ Phase 2 in barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, barangays Maguikay and Subangdaku near the flyovers in Mandaue City, barangay Tabunok in Talisay City, Pier 1, in front of the ALU building in Cebu City, and in front of Gaisano Mall in Toledo City.

The main candle lighting post will be in front of Sto. Rosario Church at P. del Rosario Street in Cebu City.

Organizers expect more than 100,000 people to participate in the candle lighting, entitled "Kahayag sa Kaugmaon alang sa Regular nga Trabaho (Dagkot Isip Simpatiya sa PALEA).

Eutiquio Bulambot, board member of PAL Employees Association in the Visayas, said these scheduled peaceful synchronized actions by workers is in response to the "massive attacks" to workers' rights in the country.

"We are calling all workers and future workers around the country to unite, show support and be part in sending the message that we are against union busting, individual bargaining, illegal retrenchment, illegal outsourcing, and contractualization," Bulambot said in a statement.

KANAMASU is a Cebu-based broad labor coalition composed of different labor organizations in the province.

Bulambot said the former workers will not accept the package offered by PAL in exchange for support to the outsourcing of employees.

The FREEMAN learned that of the 206 employees of PAL stationed at Mactan, 90 percent of these accepted the package offered by management.

However, Bulambot said they expect some of them to retract and may not accept the offer.

The PAL Employees Association in a statement said it cannot be lured over by a price tag that holds back their right to live a life of dignity.

"Regular job is our bottom line. We reject the outsourcing plan because we value our dignity as regular workers. We lose it and we lose everything," said PALEA president Gerry Rivera in a statement.