Philippine Airlines outsourcing program is in full swing, says COO

Manila Bulletin
October 4, 2011
By Emmie V. Abadilla

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Airlines (PAL), now operating at 70 percent level, is pushing through with its outsourcing program and expects to be back to pre-strike levels in the next few weeks, declared PAL President and COO Jaime Bautista.

The flag carrier has turned down its former employees' offer to return to work in exchange for keeping them in their old posts. It will go through its difficult transition phase with its new service providers and corps of volunteers.

"PAL is slowly returning to normalcy, thanks to their help,” he added.

"As of midnight October 1, workers in our catering, ground handling and call center reservations units have ceased to be PAL employees. Hence, they have no right to demand or tell the airline how to run its business," Bautista stressed.

As a result, Gerry Rivera and Bong Palad have also ceased to be PAL employees and the airline no longer recognizes them as leaders of the PAL Employees Association (PALEA). "They have no authority to negotiate for PAL workers."

With PAL’s outsourcing program now in full swing, service providers have taken over the functions of the three departments.

PAL will only take back its former workers if a court order mandates it to do so but so far, there is none, the President noted.

Already, former PAL workers have caused damage to PAL's equipment during their Sept 27 wildcat strike and there's no guarantee they won't do that again.

To complicate matters, mixing former PAL workers with volunteers and service providers poses grave risk to the men and women who have worked so hard to keep the airline flying. It would be most unfair to expose them to possible harassment and physical harm.

The service providers are doing their best to hire skilled workers to fill part of the vacuum left by its former personnel, according to Bautista.

"We must understand that they were required by DoLE and Malacanan to absorb all former PAL employees. Now that these workers have shown that they're not interested, the service providers are working double-time to recruit the people they need."

PAL needs to restructure operations to survive on the long-term and save the jobs of its 5,000 remaining employees, stressed. Bautista.

“Our detractors see the loss of jobs for 2,400 PAL Employees Association (PALEA) members but turn a blind eye on the 5,000 office personnel, cabin crew and pilots that PAL is trying to save,” he pointed out.

“The law is on our side. We’re not implementing the outsourcing program on mere whim or caprice but on the basis of legal orders from the Department of Labor and Employment and the Office of the President. We’re saving the airline from financial ruin,” Bautista reiterated.

PAL management would no longer go back to the negotiating table with PALEA, he confirmed.

“The time for negotiation is long over, especially after the union’s wildcat strike. The DoLE and the President have spoken. PALEA filed their appeal with the appellate court. Let’s just wait for the CA’s action on this matter. We have nothing more to talk about,” he declared.