PAL union welcomes PNoy’s order to suspend Baldoz ruling

The Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) welcomed President Benigno Aquino III's assumption order suspending Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz's decision that allowed the PAL management's plan to outsource back-office services, resulting in mass layoffs. “PAL employees will have a merry Christmas because no retrenchment will happen this holiday season. Although it is not yet sure if we will have a happy New Year because the suspension of the Baldoz's ruling is only temporary," said Gerry Rivera, PALEA president. Last Wednesday, the president issued an “assumption order" asking PAL management to hold the implementation of two Labor Department orders allowing PAL's outsourcing plan. Rivera claimed the assumption order arose from a petition for presidential intervention filed by PALEA. “Even as we thank PNoy for the order suspending the mass layoff, this initial victory is possible only because of the militancy of PAL employees and the unity of labor groups," Rivera added. PALEA filed a petition with the Office of the President last November 12. Rivera said, “PALEA calls on its members and its supporters from the labor movement to remain vigilant. We have won a battle but we have not yet won the war. For more than a year already we have stopped PAL from implementing its planned outsourcing. But next year we will wage the mother of all battles to finally defeat PAL’s contractualization scheme." Moreover, he said that while the planned PALEA labor strike has been stopped by the assumption order, the legal requirements for such action have been complied with and so it remains an option for the union should the labor dispute remain unresolved. Meanwhile, PAL spokeswoman Cielo Villaluna on Thursday reiterated the management 's full agreement with the assumption order, saying the president's move is a reassurance to the public that no strike will occur during the holiday season. “It is very strong and definitive. I think this will send a strong assurance to our passengers that the strike by the union will not push through," Villaluna said in an interview aired early Thursday on dzBB radio. The two DOLE orders upheld the spin-off of PAL’s non-core services that may affect some 2,600 employees. Meanwhile, Renato Magtubo, Partido Manggagawa (PM) national chair, also called on President Aquino to certify as urgent the consolidated security of tenure bill that had passed first reading at the House of Representatives. “The precedent has been set that the OP will assume jurisdiction over labor rows and so PNoy now faces the possibility of dozens of unions asking for presidential intervention if no strategic solution to contractualization is forged. The security of tenure bill is a remedial measure, although not a lasting solution, that can curb the wanton proliferation of contractualization schemes and scams by capitalists," he asserted. PM and PALEA are both pushing for the passage of the security of tenure bill. — Jerbert Briola/LBG/KBK,GMANews.TV