While members and leaders of the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) are
holding a strike vote, Malacañang is trying to mediate between union and management in the
hopes of averting a work stoppage involving around 3,700 workers of the flag carrier.
In a media briefing Tuesday, President Benigno Aquino III said that Executive Secretary
Paquito “Jojo” Ochoa Jr. is acting as arbiter between PAL workers and management.
PALEA said Monday it will hold a strike vote Nov. 7 to determine if the association could
muster the numbers needed for a strike. The union said it expects around 3,700 members
from PAL offices in Manila, the airports in Cebu and Davao, and outlying stations in 14 cities
to take part in the strike vote.
On Oct. 29, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz affirmed a March 2010 Department of Labor
and Employment decision allowing PAL management to retrench 2,600 employees to
streamline the airline’s operations.
The move cuts down PAL’s workforce to 4,000 and the Office of the President is still
reviewing the decision of Baldoz.