In support of PAL workers Workers announce march vs. contractualization

Workers and advocates of workers’ rights will march tomorrow to Mendiola to condemn the Aquino government for allowing the mass layoff, contractualization and union-busting in the Philippine Airlines.


This was the announcement of labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno today, saying that what happened in PAL affirms and will worsen violations of workers’ rights to job security, regular employment and formation of unions.


“We will march tomorrow to condemn mass layoffs, contractualization and union-busting. What happened in PAL is a bad precedent for Filipino workers,” said Lito Ustarez, KMU secretary-general.


“We will march to condemn the Aquino government for conniving with big capitalist Lucio Tan in implementing his anti-worker schemes in PAL. None of Lucio Tan’s schemes would have been implemented had the government sided with the workers, not just of PAL but of the country,” he added.


“We express our full solidarity with the workers of PAL, especially because the leadership of their union, the PAL Employees’ Association, is conniving with Lucio Tan and the Aquino government in carrying out a sabotage operation of their struggle,” Ustarez said.


To Mendiola


KMU and other organizations will gather in Morayta at 1:00 in the afternoon and then march to Mendiola where they will hold a short program. A big banner carrying the slogan “PAL: P-Noy Anti-Labor” will be carried by the protestors.


“Noynoy has not done anything good for labor since he became president. What he has been bragging about is attracting foreign investors into the country by giving them all the perks the government can grant,” Ustarez said.


“He has refused to grant a substantial wage increase, despite non-stop calls from workers and other sectors and despite the soaring prices of basic goods and services,” he added.


“He affirmed contractualization in the PAL labor dispute and personally assumed jurisdiction over the latter. Before, it’s only the Labor secretary who uses the AJ powers. This signals worse violations of workers’ rights,” he said. Lito Ustarez, KMU Vice Chairperson