PAL workers prefer job security, not P1-M separation benefits

By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:50:00 11/05/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Where will P1 million get you if you don’t have a job?
The ground crew union of Philippine Airlines (PAL) Thursday said it was fighting for job security and not for a higher separation pay, in response to the PAL management announcement that retrenched employees would be getting almost P1 million in separation benefits.

The retrenched ground crew members may indeed be getting almost P1 million, but they will become contractual employees and could end up jobless after only a few months, said Gerry Rivera, the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) president.

“Job security is priceless and cannot be bought by P1 million worth of separation. Such entitlements may well be above the separation pay mandated by law and our collective bargaining agreement but it nonetheless cannot provide for a decent life to those facing the prospect of long-term unemployment,” Rivera said in a statement.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) early this week approved PAL’s decision to lay off 2,600 employees as a result of the planned sale of its in-flight catering, airport services and call center reservation operations.

The employees to be retrenched, who represent half of PAL’s entire labor force, are to be absorbed by the service providers that will be taking over the services that PAL will be outsourcing.
Rivera disputed the claim of PAL management and the DoLE that none of the affected workers would end up jobless.

“All the employees to be retrenched by PAL may be absorbed by the service providers but only as contractuals. We are not assured of being regular workers in the service providers,” he said.
“As contractuals, we would enjoy no security of tenure and thus can be legally fired at the whim of the service providers. Without a union, we would have no protection and no voice as employees in the service providers,” he added.

Rivera said that they will be doing exactly the same work at the service providers “but for cheaper wages, fewer benefits, no security of tenure and no protection of a union.”

“Where is the justice in that? If this is not contractualization, then what is it?” Rivera said.
PALEA also accused PAL president Jaime Bautista of “engaging in doublespeak” and insisted it was PAL workers and not management who was “being forced to swallow the bitter pill.”