STOP CORPORATE GREED. BOYCOTT PAL and AirPhilippines.
PAL terminated more than 2,600 employees affecting three departments, which PAL labels as “non-core”, was based on the pretext of that “It was motivated by a pressing need to prevent further financial drain and thus, save PAL from eventual collapse.” And that such a move“ is necessary for to this very day, PAL’s economic downturn continues to threaten its survival.”
But this is belied by the fact that PAL earned a total comprehensive income of US$ 72.5 MILLION (net income of US$65.5 Million plus other income) for the fiscal year which ended on March 31, 2011.
According to the company’s Financial Statement itself, this is “a significant turnaround from the previous fiscal year’s total comprehensive loss of US$ 14.4 million.” Converted to Philippine Pesos, PAL’s income amounted to MORE THAN PhP 3 BILLION (computed at $1: PhP 42.50).
It is unfortunate that the owners and management of the Philippine Air Lines (PAL) have chosen to forget that their company’s growth was also brought about by the sacrifices, labor and dedication of the workers. At the real downturn of PAL’s financial capabilities, PALEA suspended its right to a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) since 1998. PAL’s employees contributed not in a small manner in its corporate recovery, global expansion and competitiveness. They are co-creators of the wealth of the company. Thus, not only should the quality of life of workers rightfully and proportionately improve as the company develops and grows this is a collective aspect of the right to development. More important, they should be integral to the company itself. The owners and management’s decision to outsource as part of its over-all contractualization plan is to deceptively cut off its co-creators of corporate wealth under the false basis of “financial losses”. This is corporate callousness. They have disjointed themselves from the same humanity as their workers so as to accrue profits primarily for themselves. The vaunted plan of separation benefits is no more than a ruse to distract from the truth of corporate greed and the deprivation of workers’ rights.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is supposedly the flag carrier of the Philippines. It is suppose to proudly display our historical struggles against oppression and repression as well as our constitutional stand for human dignity from whence springs our human rights.
Until PAL’s corporate greed is rescinded to reinstate the terminated 2,600 workers, the co-creators of their corporate wealth, PAHRA calls on its members, its national, regional and international partners and networks to boycott PAL and its sister company, AirPhil.
PAHRA uncompromisingly stands for people first over profit, labor over capital.
December 7, 2011
Max M. de Mesa
Chairperson, PAHRA
Rose Trajano
Acting Secretary General