Ex-PAL women workers assail outsourcing program

MANILA — Former employees of national carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) trooped to the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) on Monday to assail the agency’s approval to the outsourcing program that sidelined 2,300 workers last year.

“After the mass layoff, now going on six months, we have been facing extreme difficulties i.e., sustaining the education of our children, food expenses, water and electricity bills, etc., etc. This is especially tough for us, women, who are single mothers, widows and breadwinners,” PAL Employees Association (Palea) women’s committee member Arlene Ladimo said.

The protesters brought female paper dolls with the necks in a noose to highlight the plight of women workers under the Aquino administration.

After the rally, several union members attended the hearing at the Dole regarding their illegal suspension by PAL for supporting the union picket line.

The airline tapped the services of outsourcing companies to offset manpower costs in its catering, passenger handling, and call center reservation departments.

The outsourcing program is currently being questioned by Palea before the Court of Appeals. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)