The Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP party-list) strongly supports members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (Palea) on their protest action against the impending termination of 2,600 employees.
President Aquino is being badly advised by functionaries and factotums on the possibility of bringing up the criminal charges. Workers are merely exercising their legitimate rights which outsourcing undermines. Philippine Airlines’ management decision to terminate regular rank-and-file employees is on its face a blatant violation of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).The present difficulties in the airline is caused by a labor dispute emanating from unfair labor practices committed by PAL management—a deliberate attack on the workers’ fundamental rights and core labor standards using the veil of corporate sustainability and competitiveness.
The Palace’s action will undermine the Constitution and create a chilling effect throughout the entire labor movement. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) cannot be built on workers being the whipping boys, sacrificial lambs as government follows the path of least resistance to curry favor with capital and oligarchs.
What we have now is a two-faced government: a liberal democrat with respect to the fight against grafters, and an outright reactionary with respect to workers. President Aquino must not be captive to his advisers. President Aquino has placed at risk the kind of gentler, kinder society that President Cory would wish.
—HON. RAYMOND DEMOCRITO C. MENDOZA,
Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP party-list),
South Wing 204, House of Representatives,
Batasan 1126, Quezon City