PRESS RELEASE

HON. RAYMOND DEMOCRITO C. MENDOZA

Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP Party-List)
South Wing 204, House of Representatives, Batasan Hills 1126, Quezon City MRO: Louisivi J. Oliva

18 October 2011

Mobile No.: (0922) 883-8453 TeleFax. No: (02) 951-3011

TUCP backs PALEAs struggle for decent work; Global protest movement for justice and equity
Hon. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza of the party-list Trade Union Congress Party (TUCP) today called on the Court of Appeals (CA) to immediately issue its decision on the PALEA case which affects the livelihood of 2,600 regular workers of PAL. The CA needs to act on the case swiftly and with a real sense of justice even as we feel that the outsourcing of regular and necessary job positions in PAL is tantamount to union busting, a clear violation of an existing CBA, and an assault on core labor standards said Mendoza. The TUCP laments that President Aquino heeded the advice of his officials who do not apparently care about the long-term repercussions of allowing Mr. Lucio Tan to threaten the sanctity of security of tenure of workers and their basic rights to organize and collectively bargain. By giving the go-signal to PAL to terminate its regular and permanent employees, the Administration sent a chilling message that from now on, the employers can easily violate existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and attack the workers fundamental rights by merely using the veil of corporate sustainability and competitiveness Mendoza explained. TUCP is concerned with the worsening social situation in the country where only a handful of wealthy and powerful individuals like Lucio Tan, and a few number of families and companies control vast material resources and actually dictate economic policies added Mendoza. That is why TUCP pleaded for another public hearing of the House Committee on Labor and Employment to deliberate the issue of Palea because we really want to come-up with legislative interventions to strengthen our laws protecting the security of tenure of workers. This is the third time that we will hear the case which shows the Committees commitment in supporting the cause of labor Mendoza emphasized.

The TUCP solon also noted that there is now a worldwide spread of spontaneous protests movement started by the Occupy Wall Street groups in the United States calling for a more equitable society where the power and influence of capital is tempered by a sense of compassion and human solidarity. If the global and national oligarchs will not moderate their greed, then, eventually, those who feel aggrieved and abused by the excesses of capitalism cannot help but be politicized and worst, radicalized in the process. And it could also very well infect those Filipinos whose proverbial patience and fortitude are being worn thin as oligarchs continue to exploit them for the longest time warned Mendoza. Our hopes were dashed by the ruling of the Office of the President affirming the decision of DOLE in favor of outsourcings jobs in PAL. But what can we do? The case is in the CA now. We just have to find ways through legislation on how we can put our last stand against the onslaught of capital against labor. We cannot have a peaceful and harmonious society if labor and human dignity can be routinely pushed-aside by rent-seekers and insensitive governments Mendoza finally said. #