Airlines Global Day of Action against Outsourcing - 27 September 2012 Solidarity With Philippine Airline Workers

Airlines Global Day of Action against Outsourcing - 27 September 2012

Published 26 August 2012

http://www.aawl.org.au/content/airlines-global-day-action-against-outsou...
 

Outsourcing is happening everywhere in the airline industry. Companies outsource in order to increase profits. A big part of outsourcing is the attempt to break our unions. It is via unions that we win better wages and conditions.

Workers resist outsourcing by fighting against it at their workplaces. But this is not enough. Employers are well organised internationally and have operations across borders. We also need to co-ordinate our actions internationally.

If airline workers take industrial action, on the 27th of September, in a co-ordinated way, all over the world, we will be stronger and more effective.

Airlines Global Day of Action builds support
Published 19 August 2012 

The Global Day of Action is gathering support. Since the motion by the International Transport Federation in Kuala Lumpur and the decision on the date of 27 September by PALEA, workers in many countries are discussing and coordinating actions.

In September 2011 Philippine Airlines locked out 2600 workers and then sacked them. The workers had refused to accept their jobs being outsourced leading to a 50% cut in wages, loss of benefits including health insurance, longer working hours and loss of union coverage. QANTAS grounded all of their fleet in October 2011 to pressure unions to drop their demand for secure jobs and wages for all workers. QANTAS has sacked over 500 workers in a long term plan to move its heavy maintenance bases offshore. A big part of outsourcing is the attempt to break our unions. If airline workers take industrial action, on the same day, in a co-ordinated way, all over the world, we will be stronger and more effective. The workers at Philippine Airlines, organised by their union PALEA, are calling for a Global Day of Action in the airline industry on 27 September 2012, anniversary of PALEA's protest against outsourcing. 

Download leaflet

 workers change the world 

http://www.aawl.org.au/files//pdf/airlines_gda_120818.pdf

australia asia worker links - po box 45 carlton south victoria 3053 australia 

tel: 03 9663 7277 email: aawl@aawl.org.au web: aawl.org.au - aawl august 2012 

Outsourcing is happening everywhere in the 

airline industry. Companies outsource in order 

to  increase profits. Outsourcing has resulted 

in mass layoffs, the destruction of regular jobs and 

their replacement with precarious employment. It 

leads to a decline in wages and working conditions, 

the weakening, if not busting, of unions, and the 

deterioration of labour rights and welfare as a whole. 

Philippine Airlines (PAL) locked out 2600 workers 

on 27 September 2011 and then sacked them. 

The workers had refused to accept their jobs 

being outsourced leading to a 50% cut in wages, loss 

of benefits including health insurance, longer working 

hours and loss of union coverage. 

QANTAS grounded all of their fleet on 29 

October 2011 in an attempt to pressure 

unions to drop their demand for secure jobs 

and wages for all workers. QANTAS has sacked over 

500 workers in a long term plan to reduce wages by 

moving its heavy maintenance bases offshore. A big 

part of outsourcing is the attempt to break our unions. 

The reason that jobs inside companies have better 

conditions than outsourced jobs is because workers 

have built strong unions over many years. It is the   

unions that fought for better wages and conditions. 

This is why workers are resisting outsourcing. 

They are resisting it at their workplaces. This 

is necessary. But on its own, it is not enough. 

Employers are well organised internationally and 

have operations across borders. Now, we also need 

to co-ordinate our actions internationally. Unless 

workers respond by organising across borders, the 

companies will continue to get away with driving down 

wages and conditions. Capitalists will keep playing 

workers off against our overseas brothers and sisters 

to the detriment of all. If airline workers take industrial 

action, on the same day, in a co-ordinated way, all 

over the world, we will be stronger and more effective. 

international day of action 

for airline workers 

The Global Day of Action 

is gathering support. Since 

the motion by ITF in Kuala 

Lumpur and the decision on 

the date of 27 September 

by PALEA, workers in many 

countries are discussing and 

coordinating actions.

workers change the world 

australia asia worker links - po box 45 carlton south victoria 3053 australia 

tel: 03 9663 7277 email: aawl@aawl.org.au web: aawl.org.au - aawl august 2012 

Local workers know best what actions are 

possible.  In some places it might be ‘go slows’, 

in other places it might be overtime bans, and 

other places still, it might be strikes. Whatever the 

action, we must take it collectively and internationally. 

The workers at Philippine Airlines, organised by their 

union PALEA, are calling for a Global Day of Action in 

the airline industry for September 27 2012. 

This date is significant because it marks the 

one year anniversary of PALEA’s protest 

against outsourcing. The Global Day of Action 

has received endorsement from the International 

Transport Federation (ITF) at their recently held Asia 

Pacific meeting in Kuala Lumpur. 

support the global day of action for airline workers 

thursday 27 september 2012 

How do we organise the The Global Day of 

Action? What do we organise? How do we 

coordinate? 

More information: 

Australia Asia Worker Links: 

aawl.org.au 

International Transport Workers’ Federation 

itfglobal.org 

Facebook event: 

on.fb.me/QMgZOf 

QR code: 

This motion was carried at the International 

Transport Federation Asia Pacific Aviation 

meeting on 16 July 2012 in Kuala Lumpur: 

The ITF Aviation and its affiliates recognise and 

support the ongoing struggle of the Philippine Airline 

workers and their union PALEA who have been 

locked out and then sacked in a major and long 

running dispute over outsourcing. 

The dispute represents yet another example of an 

airline attempting to drive down wages and 

conditions of workers and de-unionise their 

workplaces in a short sighted attempt to boost profits. 

We commend the PALEA members for maintaining 

their protest despite multiple typhoons and physical 

attacks. Despite which the PALEA members 

have vowed to continue their protest until they 

are reinstated and negotiations opened for a new 

Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

The ITF Aviation Section commits to publicly 

supporting and drawing attention to the plight of 

PALEA workers with an international day of action to 

be held asap. 

On 1 August 2012 Australia Asia Worker Links 

held a public meeting in Melbourne which 

included a Skype link with the President and Vice 

President of PALEA. The following motion was 

carried: 

Australia Asia Worker Links supports a Global day of 

action against outsourcing in the airline 

industry on Thursday 

27 September 

(anniversary of 

PALEA protest against 

outsourcing).

Philippine Airline Workers Employees Ass. Fights Outsourcing And Union Busting
http://blip.tv/file/5061455

Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA) which represents

the ground crews at Philippine Airlines is in a major struggle to 

defend the union against outsourcing and contractual employment. 

Through an intense struggle including against their previous union 

leadership they have been able to stop the outsourcing of catering 

jobs and other classifications. Now their union is fighting to defend 

its existence and in March 2011 a strike vote was taken by the 

membership to prepare for this fight. 

For more information go to http://transportworkers.org/node/1772

Production of Labor Video Project laborvideo.bilp.tv www.laborvideo.org