Wildcat strike paralyzes PAL operations

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Airlines (PAL) suspended all flights yesterday after airline employees went on strike to protest the impending termination of 2,600 workers.

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the company’s management cancelled the flights after members of the PAL Employees Association (PALEA) refused to work.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz immediately sent a team to initiate a conciliation meeting and resolve the labor dispute.

“We have to call the conciliation meeting so we can come out with a possible agreement between PAL management and the union members and be able to immediately normalize the airline operations,” Baldoz said.

Up to 172 PAL domestic and international flights were reportedly affected.

Airport security guards with the help of members of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (PNP-ASG) pulled out one by one members of the PALEA who were holding a sitdown strike and refused to vacate their post at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.

The PALEA members were given up to 4:30 p.m. to leave their post by PAL and security officials but the workers continued with the protest action and instead held hands as a sign of unity.

PAL officials said the employees of the new service providers would take over the posts vacated by the PALEA members and normal operations are expected to resume today at NAIA Terminal 2.

Hours of conciliation talks failed to end the labor dispute between PAL and the striking airline employees.

Baldoz said PALEA and the airline management failed to reach any agreement during a DOLE-initiated conciliation meeting yesterday.

She said after the conciliation meetings, the prevailing labor dispute is already considered beyond the DOLE’s jurisdiction.

“It has been determined during the conciliation meeting that the issue between the two parties was the spin off program, which has already been decided upon by DOLE and is now pending before the Court of Appeals,” Baldoz disclosed.

“This means that the case is already beyond DOLE, thus we can no longer assume jurisdiction over the case nor intervene over the dispute,” Baldoz added.

Baldoz said that at this time, the strike is now under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and that new personnel could be deployed to take over the functions of those who went on strike.

Unless the striking employees could secure a restraining order, Baldoz said, PAL management can legally start the implementation of the outsourcing program by Friday.

“Our workers walked out of their jobs and these include the airport services staff in charge of checking in and boarding passengers, as well as those in the catering services,” Villaluna said.

“We are now taking steps to find a solution to ensure that normal operations are restored.”

PAL sent termination notices to its ground staff last month, saying it needed to trim its workforce to save up to $15 million in annual operating costs.

The outsourcing program was a key component of PAL’s “survival blueprint” launched last year after the airline incurred losses of $312 million in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.

PAL has said the laid-off staff, who provide the in-flight catering, airport services and call center reservations, have an option to join the outsourcing operation.

But this has infuriated the union, which said the conditions of the new jobs are far inferior.

Villaluna said the management has already informed the striking workers of the possible legal consequences of their “illegal” strike.

She said management is also trying to negotiate with PALEA members who are seeking the suspension of the outsourcing program to be implemented starting October.

“We apologize for this inconvenience to our passengers. Those who want to rebook or refund their tickets can proceed to PAL ticket offices,” Villaluna said.

Gerry Rivera, PALEA president, said they opted to go on strike after getting information that PAL management has started hiring new workers to replace those to be affected by the outsourcing or spin-off program.

“Starting last week, even before the effectivity date of the termination on Friday, PAL has been employing scabs and displacing regular employees. PAL has pushed us to the wall. We are left with no choice but to hold this protest action,” Rivera said.

Rivera said the workers decided to stage the protest action earlier than the scheduled start of the outsourcing program on Friday.

PALEA maintained that PAL could not yet implement the spin-off program because the union has a pending motion for reconsideration at the Court of Appeals.

“We don’t understand why the management still insists on implementing the spin-off despite our pending case at the CA. We will continue with this demonstration until the PAL management agrees to withdraw the spin-off,” PALEA said in a statement.

DOLE previously allowed PAL to implement the spin-off and Malacañang upheld the ruling.

PAL employees in the departments to be outsourced – which include airport services, in-flight catering, and call center reservations – are leading the protest action. While most PALEA members remain inside their workplaces, off-duty employees would be picketing PAL offices at the airport.

PALEA meanwhile asked for the understanding of the public, and said the protest is just temporary.

Thousands of departing passengers bound for Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, General Santos City, Cagayan, Tacloban, Cebu and Davao were stranded after PAL employees at the airline counters refused to assist them.

PALEA said its members reported for work as early as 6 a.m. but they refused to refuel airplanes or unload cargo and luggage of arriving and departing passengers.

Passengers from PR111 from Guam that arrived at 7:15 a.m. yesterday were disgusted after learning that they could not retrieve their luggage at the carousel area due to the absence of baggage retrievers and loaders.

PAL transferred their 90 Hong Kong bound passengers to Cathay Pacific flight CX900 while another 100 passengers were booked on the next available flight.

Businesswoman Mercy Trinidad said that she had a scheduled business meeting this afternoon in Hong Kong that was canceled due to the protest action.

Malacañang assailed PALEA for walking out of their jobs at the height of typhoon “Pedring” and warned the workers of consequences.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said the walkout of PALEA members shows insensitivity to the riding public.

Coloma said President Aquino has directed Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to supervise the efforts of DOLE, CAAP and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) in working closely with PAL management to resolve this matter soon.

Coloma said the government has adhered to the rule of law in addressing PALEA’s issue on labor outsourcing and calls on PALEA to do the same.

Civil aviation law provides that air travel must be reliable, safe and secure, said Coloma.

PAL resumes Australia flights Wednesday

PAL announced yesterday that all passengers of flights going to and coming from Melbourne and Sydney in Australia would temporarily depart and arrive at the NAIA Terminal 1 (old terminal) starting Sept. 28 to Oct. 15, 2011 on board PR209/210 and PR211/212.

PAL staff with proper uniform and identification would be on standby at NAIA 1 to assist departing and arriving passengers.

PAL apologized for the temporary inconvenience and for inquiries, passengers may contact PAL reservations at 885-8888 or log on at www.philippineairlines.com.

A reliable airport source said that two other PAL flights would also move to terminal 1 but officials are still looking for possible counters and boarding gates for their US flights.

PAL will also set up remote city check-in counters for their passengers with connecting domestic flights who arrive at NAIA l.

Passengers checking in at these remote counters shall be issued boarding passes and shuttled to NAIA Terminal 2 in air-conditioned buses. Priority will be given to those with no check-in luggage.

Meanwhile, the CAAP came out with directives last Friday, enjoining all CAAP-owned and operated airports, International Airport Authorities, government law enforcement and airport private security agencies to keep a tight watch on those who might sabotage or commit criminal acts, or interfere with airport operations and communications.

CAAP Director General Ramon Gutierrez, in an advisory circular issued on Sept. 23, called on concerned agencies to be on alert for acts that are directed against civil aviation, which tend to destroy or damage airport or related facilities.

Gutierrez issued the directive in the light of continuing mass protests by PAL unions against the management.

He ordered that his directive be distributed to all airport managers, OIC and other ranking officials in the more than 80 CAAP-operated airports around the country.

In order to preclude inflicting damage to airport facilities, the CAAP warned that those who violate the provisions of Republic Act 9497, otherwise known as the CAAP Act of 2008, would be punished under paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 of section 81, Chapter 9.

The CAAP charter said that “any person who destroys or seriously damage the facilities of the airport shall be subjected to imprisonment or a fine of not less than P50,000.”

Anyone who “interferes with air navigation faces imprisonment of not more than three years and P50,000 fine.”

Gutierrez said any incident related to the above offenses must be documented and immediately reported to the CAAP for possible institution of criminal actions.

PNP-ASG at the NAIA received an intelligence report that there are some groups who are planning to disrupt PAL operations.

PNP-NCR ASG acting chief Superintendent Manuel Pintado said that security personnel were already deployed 24 hours to protect passengers at the airport. –Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star) with Aurea Calica, Rudy Santos