Gov’t bias for big business

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) expresses its solidarity with the 2,600 members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (Palea) in their fight for human dignity, job security and union rights.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the crackdown spearheaded by Lucio Tan and PAL management on all the rank-and-file employees of the company and the forced implementation of the contractualization scheme, thus massively debasing and crippling the union.

Tan and PAL management’s refusal to wait for the Court of Appeals’ ruling on the contractualization scheme, and to continue negotiating with Palea has shown that they do not respect the rights of the workers who have long been serving the company as regular workers; that they are determined to bust the workers’ union; and that they do not care at all for the welfare of the workers and their families.

In contrast to the greed shown by Tan and his management team, PAL workers and Palea members have shown their patriotism and loyalty to the company by agreeing to a 10-year (1998-2008) suspension of their collective bargaining negotiation rights so that a Philippine institution like PAL can recover and rehabilitate.

Unfortunately in 2009, Tan and PAL management’s answer to the efforts of Palea to resume the collective bargaining negotiations was a contractualization/outsourcing scheme coupled with union-busting. PAL plans to close down three departments – call center reservations, in-flight catering, and airport services – and to outsource their services.

The crackdown shames the entire nation.  Although it has been privatized, PAL is still the nation’s flag carrier, the nation’s symbol in the sky, the nation’s representative in global aviation. Many Filipinos take pride in the excellent ability of its pilots and ground crew to provide safe and comfortable air travel and to respond effectively during emergencies and unexpected incidents. Now, all in the name of profit, PAL’s identity with our people is being tainted by the shameless oppression of its workers and an open disregard for their established rights, especially the right to dignified work and self-organization.

This fact is conveniently forgotten by those who experience inconvenience due to flight delays.  What is a few hours of inconvenience compared to years of having no jobs and source of regular income for 2,600 Filipinos and their families?

That Tan and PAL management can get the unqualified support of Malacañang and the labor department shows to what extent business and government are ready to cooperate to shore up big business, at the expense of labor. President Aquino’s threat to sue Palea for economic sabotage has only deepened the wounds inflicted on PAL workers. It has shown how shallow is his appreciation of the situation, if not, his bias for big business.

Let us support Palea in their fight for their rights. Ang laban ng Palea ay laban nating lahat.

—RICARDO B. REYES,

president, Freedom from Debt Coalition,

11 Matimpiin St., Barangay Pinyahan,

Quezon City