Manila Bulletin
October 18, 2011, 6:25pm
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Airlines (PAL) is studying the possibility of filing economic sabotage charges against former employees who staged an illegal work stoppage last September 27.
Atty. Remigio Siapno, PAL AVP-Industrial Relations, told the House Labor and Employment committee that PAL may file charges of economic sabotage against more than 300 former union members who paralyzed PAL operations at the height of typhoon "Pedring." Apart from disrupting trade and commerce, the wildcat strike caused grave inconvenience to more than 14,000 PAL passengers at NAIA Terminal 2 on that day.
On plans to summon PAL chairman Lucio Tan to Congress, the airline management said it would inform the taipan of such invitation. In a statement, PAL said Tan spends more time abroad than in the Philippines to attend to various business matters.
PAL stressed that the flag carrier’s labor issues are pending before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. “To openly talk and comment on these issues may be sub judice,” PAL stressed.
Department of Labor and Employment Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac informed the Committee that based on DoLE's earlier decision, the labor department found that PAL's outsourcing program does not constitute unfair labor practice. The same ruling was upheld by the Office of the President twice.
PAL OIC for Human Resources Sylvia Hermosisima assured lawmakers that PAL's operations remain safe since the outsourcing was implemented October 1. She said that regular jobs await affected workers at the service providers.
She added that none of the designated service providers are owned, in whole or in part, by Tan.
PAL representatives to the hearing were told by the committee to submit all documents pertaining to the service providers.
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