Members of the Samahang ng mga Manggagawa sa Paliparan ng Pilipinas (SMPP) are considering filing a complaint for unfair labor practices with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) against certain "officials" who allegedly advocated for the privatization of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
SMPP Vice President Gilberto Bagtas on Monday, April 1, said that they already reached out to the DOLE about the filing of the case.
"Humihingi kami ng audience sa DOLE tungkol sa NAIA privatization na hindi kinunsulta ang mga kawani bago nagsagawa ng aksyon para sa privatization (we are requesting an audience with the labor department regarding the NAIA privatization. The employees were not consulted before taking action for privatization)," Bagtas said.
Bagtas said that Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) employees seemed uneasy because there is no assurance that all of them will be kept on for employment once the private consortium takes over the operation of NAIA.
Bagtas said that there are around 1,300 organic employees at MIAA, and with the addition of outsourced workers, the total could reach up to 4,000.
At Monday's flag ceremony, MIAA officials requested that all employees participate in a survey as it is a necessary step for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects before they can move forward.
The SMPP vice president said that MIAA employees were uncertain about how to respond to the survey without a detailed explanation. He said that they had until April 2 to provide their answers.
The SMPP previously attempted to discuss with the former MIAA management in August last year regarding their future when the operations of the NAIA terminals are privatized.
In another development, MIAA spokesman lawyer Chris Bendijo reacted to the unfair labor suit that the SMPP is planning to file.
"Kanino at sino ang irereklamo nila ng unfair labor practice sa DOLE (to whom and to whom will they complain about unfair labor practices to the Department of Labor?" Bendijo stressed, adding that General Manager Eric Ines and his team took over MIAA in December last year.
He also mentioned that they have engaged in multiple discussions with the SMPP regarding their situation.
"Matagal ng issue yan (that's a long issue). I cannot speak for the previous management, but I can speak for the present. GM Ines is very much concerned about this issue of the staff movement and the SMPP. As a matter of fact, nakipag-meeting na rin kami (we have also had a meeting) with DOLE last week together with the SMPP," MIAA Senior Assistant General Manager Lourdes Reyes said.
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