Aquino urged to stop PAL layoff

First posted 20:41:30 (Mla time) July 22, 2010
Paolo Montecillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

AN INTERNATIONAL labor group representing 4.6 million transport sector employees worldwide has asked President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to stop Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) plan to lay off 3,000 of its workers.

In a letter also addressed to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, the International Transportation Workers Federation (ITF) said Aquino’s intervention in the PAL issue would be in line with his campaign promise to defend human rights.

“The dispute has arisen due to the apparent intention of the PAL management to implement mass dismissals and to contract out jobs being performed by regular employees,” ITF general secretary David Cockroft said.

“The ITF understands that these actions would be in breach of provisions against labor contracting and on job security contained within the company’s collective bargaining agreement,” he said.
“Given your election campaign platform, the ITF strongly urges your government to act swiftly and decisively to intervene in the PAL dispute to facilitate an acceptable resolution,” ITF said in its letter to Aquino.

PAL wants to sub-contract non-core tasks, like in-flight catering and airport services, to third parties to help the company cut costs.

The Lucio Tan firm also wants to transform itself into a leaner and meaner organization to attract investors that can infuse money into the bleeding firm.

The PAL Employees’ Association (Palea) has opposed the company’s plans, but the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) last month declared the outsourcing plan a legal exercise of management prerogative.

But the ITF dismissed PAL’s motives as simple union busting to deprive workers of their basic rights.
“This move by the PAL management is also perceived as a union-busting measure given the fact that these employees are all Palea members and include the union’s officers,” the ITF said.

“The ITF is well aware of the impact of the current economic climate on the transport sector… The aviation industry has been particularly badly hit,” ITF said.

However, Cockroft said aviation workers, who are not responsible for the crisis, have borne a disproportionate burden of the cost of the crisis.