DOLE sees smooth PAL spinoff implementation

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) sees a smooth implementation of the outsourcing program of flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz sees no shortage of manpower in the airline because PAL can hire as many third party service providers as needed to fill the vacancies left by the termination of 2,600 ground workers to restore full operations.

“I think PAL is almost fully operational because they tapped the services of more service providers than they initially planned,” Baldoz said yesterday. “There is no legal issue on the hiring of more service providers because it is an aspect of spin-off implementation that is already beyond the DOLE’s jurisdiction.”

Members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) abandoned frontline services at the height of typhoon “Pedring” last week to protest the flag carrier’s outsourcing program that was implemented on Sept. 30.

Union president Gerry Rivera said that because the airline is understaffed, the safety of its flights is compromised.

“And because PALEA rejected the outsourcing and contractualization of their members to the assigned service providers, PAL is left with no skilled manpower to handle its flights,” he said.

“We were replaced by untrained and overworked management staff so safety and poor service is really a big concern that should not be ignored by the riding public and more so by the government. Moreover, safety and poor service problems would also affect the long term viability of PAL.”

PALEA said they have already alerted the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) inspectors as well as the labor department about these labor violations while civil society organizations are planning to raise these safety concerns to the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the airline is now operating 94 flights – 57 international and 37 domestic – at terminal two of the Ninoy Aquino International airport; 22 domestic flights are operating in terminal three. Four international and 42 domestic flights, however, are still cancelled because of operational requirements.

Villaluna said the management had warned its former employees against holding protests near the In-flight Center building because they no longer have legal personality to invoke the stand of PALEA.

Over the weekend, PALEA urged the management to delay the implementation of the outsourcing program until the release of the ruling on the union’s petition for certiorari and reabsorption of the members into the airline’s workforce.

PAL rejected the offer, saying the airline’s non-core units are now under the operational jurisdiction of the service providers.

“If they truly want to help the company, they can start by recognizing the spin-off and consider working for SkyLogistics, SkyKitchen and SPi Global,” said PAL president and COO Jaime Bautista.

He said service producers SkyLogistics Philippines and SkyKitchen have begun accepting more applicants from outside after PAL’s terminated workers refused to be absorbed by the companies.

The Department of Tourism said tourist arrivals in the country were not affected by the onslaught of typhoons Pedring and “Quiel” and by the work stoppage at PAL.

“Except for the inconvenience caused by the strike to some foreign visitors and the riding public, there has been no major effect on tourist movement to the Philippines,” said Tourism Undersecretary Benito Bengzon. “The typhoons have not also drastically (affected) the movement of inbound tourists.”

He said no tours were cancelled despite the occurrence of the typhoons and the labor dispute. –-Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star) with Rudy Santos