Reaction to Malacanang's assurance re PALEA's picketline

Statement by Gerry Rivera
PALEA President

We welcome Malacanang's assurance on the security of our protest camp but PALEA demands protection of its members job security. We challenge the government to make good on this promise because there is renewed threat on the campout since PAL has been asked to vacate its makeshift catering operations at the Nichols hangar. PAL will not stop attempting to disperse PALEA's protest camp at the In-Flight Center since its supposed service providers are illegal labor-only contractors which do not have its own facility.

We appreciate the government's rebuff of PAL and employers organizations' claims of harassment by PALEA but we call for reforms in the administration's policy on contractualization. PNoy may have heeded the voice of the 99% instead of the 1% this time but his hands-off policy on the PAL dispute contrasts with the Australian government's swift action on the Qantas lockout.