Mediation on PAL row bogs down

MANILA, Philippines - Work stoppage at Philippines Airlines (PAL) has become more imminent as negotiations to settle prevailing labor disputes in the airline company failed anew yesterday.

Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) president Gerry Rivera warned they are poised to go on strike if PAL management starts the termination of its 2,700 employees.

“We have long been ready, but we are now more ready to go on strike if the management would insist on implementing the order of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),” Rivera said.

The management of PAL, however, assured the riding public that there will be no immediate strike from its ground and cabin crew unions.

In a statement, PAL president Jaime Bautista remains hopeful that PAL, with the help from DOLE, can still find a peaceful and amicable solution to PAL’s labor problems.

“After all, PAL management continues to talk with the union representatives. We believe the negotiating table is still the best venue for resolving differences,” he said.

Bautista assured PAL passengers that labor strikes – especially in public utilities like PAL – do not happen overnight.

“There is a legal process involved which all parties must respect and adhere to, before any lockout or strike can materialize,” he said.

Rivera stressed they are still willing to continue the dialogue with PAL management and exhaust all possible options to settle the dispute.

But the workers, according to Rivera, would not wait a minute to go on work stoppage if any one of them would be terminated.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz called PAL and PALEA representatives for a conciliation meeting, but the four-hour talks between the two parties resulted in a deadlock.

“We are ready to continue the conciliation, but we want the management to show good faith by removing all the irritants prior to the start of the negotiation,” Rivera pointed out.

He said among the contentious issues in the negotiation was the plan of PAL management to close down three departments and outsource non-core positions.

Instead of giving in to the employees’ request, Rivera said, the management chose to submit a petition seeking an immediate resolution of a pending motion for reconsideration of the previous DOLE ruling.

Last June, Acting Labor Secretary Romeo Lagman issued a decision declaring the PAL outsourcing plan, as well as the eventual termination of 2,700 employees, as legal.

Rivera said they filed a motion for reconsideration of the decision on the grounds that it violated labor laws and PAL’s existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

According to Rivera, the PAL management’s move clearly showed that they already want to start the termination of employees in the catering, ground services and reservation call centers.

Rivera said Baldoz’s efforts indicated her resolve to allow the PAL management and employees to settle the labor disputes amicably without resorting to a strike.

“We want an amicable settlement of this case, but the management seems unmoved by our appeal. If they would insist on implementing the order, we are left with no choice but to defend our source and income,” Rivera pointed out.

“We have proven in the past that we are capable of going on strike and paralyzing PAL’s operations. We are doing it again if PAL would insist on terminating us and continue with their outsourcing plan,” he warned.

PALEA’s legal counsel Joven Dellosa said that extending separation pay to those workers to be terminated is not the issue but the security of tenure of the workers.

Bautista admitted a strike is possible at this time but said that management is exerting all efforts to prevent such a situation.

PAL management is continuing with their regular meeting with the employees on Monday.

Bautista said they opted to seek DOLE’s immediate decision on the PALEA motion for reconsideration because it would settle the question of whether outsourcing is legal.

He noted though that the outsourcing plan is part of the flag carrier’s effort to survive.

“The airline industry is now in crisis. We have to do what other airlines are doing. We also have to concentrate on the main business of flying passengers and cargo. We have to do it to be competitive and be able to survive,” Bautista explained.

Outsourcing is not contractualization because PAL is selling their three other services to other companies whose business are not related to the airline industry, Bautista explained.

Bautista also gave assurance that the outsourcing companies would hire qualified PAL employees that would be displaced.