PAL workers score ‘bogus’ notice of strike

Legitimate workers of Philippine Airlines (PAL) are urging the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to immediately junk the ‘bogus’ notice of strike filed by non-employees misrepresenting themselves as union officers of the national flag carrier.

In an open letter to DOLE and their coworkers, several concerned PAL employees said the notice of strike filed by Gerardo Rivera – a separated PAL union officer who still claims to represent the PAL Employees Association (PALEA) – should not have been entertained by DOLE for being a fraud.

Signed by PAL employees Renato Ebio, Mercedes Ines, Emelyn Ponayo, Teodoro Jordan, Danilo Hermoso and Arnel Mangalindan, the letter stressed that the notice of strike filed by Rivera is not recognized by legitimate PAL workers. They said Rivera filed the strike notice on his own behalf and is not supported by the required union board resolution approving calls for a work stoppage.

The group advised government officials, PAL customers and the travelling public not to be alarmed by Rivera’s threats of flight disruptions during the coming All Soul’s Day commemmoration and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila. “As PAL’s legitimate workers, we assure the riding public that we will not cause any flight disruptions,” the workers stressed.

In the same letter, the group urged DOLE to immediately resolve with finality a June 29, 2015 order by the Bureau of Labor Relations (BLR) removing Rivera and 11 others from the PALEA board. It also asked for the conduct of a new election of union officers.

In the BLR ruling, Mediator Arbiter Atty. Cesar Petate said he is convinced that the erstwhile PALEA president and his colleagues were “no longer employees of PAL at the time of the election of union officers.” PALEA’s own by-laws explicitly state that only bonafide airline employees are eligible for election as union officers. The BLR ruling is currently under appeal by Rivera’s group.

“Si G. Gerardo Rivera, na kumakatawan daw as PALEA president ay isang malaking panlilinlang sa publiko at sa Gobyerno. Siya ay isang separated PAL employee base sa pinangunahan at pinirmahan niyang Settlement Agreement between PALEA at PAL noong Nobyembre 14, 2013,” the group said.

They added that Rivera’s group also executed a Joint Manifestation and Motion on February 10, 2014 which prompted the Supreme Court’s Third Division to issue a notice declaring the PALEA case questioning PAL’s 2009 outsourcing program “Closed” and “Terminated”.

It will be recalled that after signing the settlement agreement with the PAL management under the leadership of then PAL president Ramon Ang, Rivera and the so-called PALEA 600 voluntarily released and discharged PAL from any liability or claims in connection with their past services. Their signed waiver and quitclaim also acknowledged their separation from the airlines.