We, members of the Filipino-American community in the US,
overseas Filipino workers from all over the world and concerned citizens of
other countries, are deeply bothered by the injustice against workers of the
Philippine’s flag carrier, the Philippine Airlines.
We express our serious concern at the plight of the more than 2,000 ground workers of Philippine Airlines. These workers, who are members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), were locked out and terminated after a protest conducted by the union members against the implementation of PAL’s outsourcing scheme.
We are alarmed at the violence experienced by these workers in the hands police forces, private security guards and even hired goons who are trying to stop these workers from expressing their legitimate concerns. PAL’s harassment of the protesting workers is also clear from its decision to strip these union members of their hard-earned travel benefits.
We are indignant that after 13 years of suspension of collective bargaining to rehabilitate and help PAL recover from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, PAL, instead of rewarding its employees for their sacrifice, decided to terminate these workers and convert their jobs into contractual positions. It is important to note that in their latest financial report for the fiscal year ending March 2011, PAL declared substantial net profits of more than US$65 Million, contrary to their claim that the company is suffering from financial losses.
We are disturbed that the Aquino government’s tacit endorsement of Lucio Tan’s contractualization scheme belies its pronouncements of creating decent jobs for Filipino workers and that this support of PAL’s union busting and contractualization scheme is tantamount to the government's policy declaration that will surely serve as a green light to other corporations.
We strongly support the demand of PALEA that its members should be allowed to return to work as regular employees and the scrapping of PAL’s outsourcing and contractualization scheme.
We express our solidarity with the Filipino workers whose internationally recognized rights to decent jobs, to collective agreement, to peaceful assembly have been violated by Philippine Airlines, supported by the Aquino administration.
We call on the government of the Philippines to use its power to intervene industrial disputes to protect not only the workers of PAL and their families but also to send a message that the Aquino administration is serious in delivering on its promise of providing decent employment to Filipinos, instead of taking the side of the greedy Lucio Tan who controls the bulk of the country’s airline industry.
Lastly, we call on the riding public, especially overseas Filipino workers, to fly with alternative airline companies and stop patronizing Philippine Airlines! We call on everyone to join us in this fight against corporate greed! We call on everyone to boycott Philippine Airlines!
Signed:
Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP)
ANSWER-Los Angeles
BANTAY Pilipinas-Los Angeles
Echo Park Community Coalition
Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP)-US
Justice for Filipino-American Veterans (JFAV)-Los Angeles
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)-USA
We express our serious concern at the plight of the more than 2,000 ground workers of Philippine Airlines. These workers, who are members of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA), were locked out and terminated after a protest conducted by the union members against the implementation of PAL’s outsourcing scheme.
We are alarmed at the violence experienced by these workers in the hands police forces, private security guards and even hired goons who are trying to stop these workers from expressing their legitimate concerns. PAL’s harassment of the protesting workers is also clear from its decision to strip these union members of their hard-earned travel benefits.
We are indignant that after 13 years of suspension of collective bargaining to rehabilitate and help PAL recover from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, PAL, instead of rewarding its employees for their sacrifice, decided to terminate these workers and convert their jobs into contractual positions. It is important to note that in their latest financial report for the fiscal year ending March 2011, PAL declared substantial net profits of more than US$65 Million, contrary to their claim that the company is suffering from financial losses.
We are disturbed that the Aquino government’s tacit endorsement of Lucio Tan’s contractualization scheme belies its pronouncements of creating decent jobs for Filipino workers and that this support of PAL’s union busting and contractualization scheme is tantamount to the government's policy declaration that will surely serve as a green light to other corporations.
We strongly support the demand of PALEA that its members should be allowed to return to work as regular employees and the scrapping of PAL’s outsourcing and contractualization scheme.
We express our solidarity with the Filipino workers whose internationally recognized rights to decent jobs, to collective agreement, to peaceful assembly have been violated by Philippine Airlines, supported by the Aquino administration.
We call on the government of the Philippines to use its power to intervene industrial disputes to protect not only the workers of PAL and their families but also to send a message that the Aquino administration is serious in delivering on its promise of providing decent employment to Filipinos, instead of taking the side of the greedy Lucio Tan who controls the bulk of the country’s airline industry.
Lastly, we call on the riding public, especially overseas Filipino workers, to fly with alternative airline companies and stop patronizing Philippine Airlines! We call on everyone to join us in this fight against corporate greed! We call on everyone to boycott Philippine Airlines!
Signed:
Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP)
ANSWER-Los Angeles
BANTAY Pilipinas-Los Angeles
Echo Park Community Coalition
Ecumenical Fellowship for Justice and Peace (EFJP)-US
Justice for Filipino-American Veterans (JFAV)-Los Angeles
Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)-USA
