Church joins protests vs DoLE, PAL

The Catholic Church yesterday joined lawmakers and other militant groups in criticizing the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) for allowing the mass lay off of some 2,600 employees of the Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said he is “disappointed” by the government’s decision.

Pabillo said the recent decision of DoLE will deprive the workers the just share of the fruits of their labor.

“This clearly shows that the policy of the present administration is to favor the capitalists than the ordinary workers,” he said. Pabillo chairman of the National Secretariat for Social Action- Justice and Peace (Nassa), the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño called on the House to immediately investigate the first major labor dispute under the Aquino administration and avert the impending lose of 3,000 jobs. Casiño said that the DoLE decision is setting a precedent for other labor intensive companies to undermine workers unions and promote contractualization.

“The DoLE decision in the dispute between the PAL Employees’ Association (PALEA) and PAL clearly favors management. What the Lucio Tan-owned PAL tried but failed to do under Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is finding success under Aquino – spinning off parts of the company in order to demote its workers from regular to contractual and undermining the workers union at the same time. This only bodes ill for Philippine labor as the DoLE decision will be used by other companies to attack their workers and destroy unions. Apparently PAL management’s dreams are coming true under this administration,” Casiño said.

According to Pabillo, the DoLE decision also means that it is a policy of the Aquino administration to continue the labor-only contracting arrangements and casualization of labor in the country.

The prelate said that the dignity of work comes from the laborers themselves and not from the capital which is controlled by capitalists.

“The capital is needed but labor should have the primacy. Let’s give more importance to the workers,” said Pabillo.

“But in the case of the PAL Employees’ Association (Palea), it seems that profit is more important for the government than the dignity of people,” he lamented.

Last week, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, in a written directive, has allowed PAL’s planned retrenchment and contractualization.

With the decision, Baldoz also affirmed the previous order of then acting labor secretary Romeo Lagman giving the green light on PAL’s plan to outsource 3 non-core operations and lay off workers.

Like Lagman, Baldoz said that it is PAL’s “management prerogative” to reorganize its corporate structure for the viability of its operations.

Casiño and fellow Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares are authors of House Resolution 275 that directs the House committee on labor and employment to probe the outsourcing and contractualization scheme being implemented by PAL with the end in view of protecting and strengthening the employees’ right to organization and security of tenure.

“PAL claims it cannot afford to pay its workers but can give away 70,000 seats as promotion of its 70th anniversary in 2011. PAL also reportedly acquired two new Boeing 777-300ER jets. Lucio Tan, PAL chairman and chief executive officer, also consistently improved his net worth from $1.5 billion in 2008, $1.7 billion in 2009 and to $2.1 billion in 2010, maintaining his position as the 2nd richest Filipino in the country. The House cannot just ignore these facts that the DoLE completely overlooked,” Casiño said.

“The House panel must push through with its probe on November 11 and we demand that the owners and top executives of PAL have to attend. It is not right to take the pro-management DoLE decision hook line and sinker as legal and above board. That is why the legislature must step in for the sake of our workers,” Casiño said. –Gerry Baldo, Daily Tribune