Take Action | International Labor Rights Forum

From : Brian Campbell, International Labor Rights Forum

Take Action | International Labor Rights Forum

Dear Antonio,

Trade unions and church groups in the Philippines have joined together in calling a boycott of Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines in solidarity with the Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA).

I’m writing to ask you to make your voice heard in support of this boycott.Let Lucio Tan, owner of both airlines, know that you won’t fly PAL or AirPhil until locked-out workers have been reinstated to their regular jobs.

Philippine Airlines is putting into place a plan to outsource its ground crew, which would result in deep pay cuts and job insecurity with the downgrading of employees from regular to contractual hires. On September 27, the PALEA union launched a protest at Manila airport that paralyzed the operations of Philippine Airlines. In response, Philippine Airlines and the government forcibly evicted the protesting workers. Since then, Philippine Airlines locked-out 2,600 airport services, catering and call center workers, and terminated them from their jobs on October 1. The workers have set up protest camps and are running continuous picket lines. They are calling for our solidarity.

It’s time to up the pressure. The company’s line, as quoted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, is: “No amount of rallies, protest actions or letters of support/complaints from sympathetic groups both within and outside the country could change the fact that PAL has already spun off and outsourced its non-core businesses.” But we know that the airlines cannot withstand a boycott. PAL and AirPhil rely on end-of-year holidays travel for their profit line. If a large enough group of us join the boycott publicly, we will have an impact.

Take a moment to click here to send a letter to Philippine Airlines and the Philippine government.

The PALEA union likens its struggle to that of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) union in 1981. Those familiar with U.S. labor history will recall: when 13,000 air traffic controllers went on strike, Ronald Reagan fired the union supporters and broke the union. As a result, the bargaining power of American workers and labor unions was severely undermined. Let’s act together for a better future for airline workers who are facing job loss and state-sponsored repression today. Now is the time to join with PALEA in their call for justice.

In solidarity,
Brian Campbell
Director, Policy and Legal Programs
International Labor Rights Forum

The TRUTH will set you FREE.

Senator Chiz Escudero responds courtesy of Abante-Tonite Online

Disbarment

SEN. CHIZ ESCUDERO

Share

Dear Senator Chiz, Nais ko pong maghain ng disbarment complaint laban sa Clerk of Court ng Supreme Court, sa mga kagalang-galang na mga huwes ng Court of Appeals, mga commissioners ng National Labor Relations Commission, Labor Arbiter at sa abogado ng kumpanya. Magkano ka­yang halaga ang gagastusin para maharap ang kasong ito? Maaari ko bang isampa ang kaso habang ako ay nasa ibang bansa? Kung pwede ba magsampa ng disbarment case habang ako ay nasa ibang bansa, paano ang procedure? Maraming salamat po. Lubos na gumagalang, Antonio L. Buensuceso Jr. Dear Antonio, Ang halaga ng isang disbarment complaint ay nakadepende sa kung sino ang kukunin mong abogado upang magrepresenta sa iyo pati na mga fi­ling fees. Mahalagang malaman mo na dahil ilan sa nais mong sampahan ng kaso ay mga justice ng Court of Appeals, kailangan mong mag-file ng verified complaint sa Supreme Court mismo (Rule 139-B, paragraphs 1 and 2, Rules of Court). Maaari mong isampa ang kaso through a representative at kailangan mo munang gumawa ng isang Special Power of Attorney (SPA) pabor sa representative mo na nagsasabi na siya ay authorized na kumatawan sa iyo at magsampa ng kaso habang nasa ibang bansa ka. Kung ikaw ay nasa ibang bansa na, dapat consularized itong SPA mo. Sumasaiyo, Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero Ilakip ang inyong pa­ngalan at address sa inyong ipadadalang mga katanungan at mga suhes­tyon. Maaari kayong magpadala ng liham sa tanggapan ng pahayagang ito sa No. 167 Liberty Bldg., Roberto Oca St., Port A­rea, Manila o e-mail sa saychiz@chizescudero.com. Maaari ring magpadala ng mensahe sa pamamagitan ng text: CHIZ <space> mensahe sa 2976.

When a SC judgment conflicts with the people's sense of justice

AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo (The Philippine Star) Updated November 22, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (5)

They may not know the letter of the law and its many technicalities but people have a sense of justice to tell them that a Court judgment is fair or unjust. The eight Supreme Court (SC) Justices who granted that highly controversial TRO (Temporary Restraining Order), which would have allowed Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) and her husband Mike to travel, now find themselves in conflict with the sense of justice of many Filipinos.
Headed by SC Chief Justice Rene Corona, the same eight Justices are hobbled by a track record of voting in favor of GMA. The perceived rush to allow GMA and her husband to travel, the attempt of GMA and Mike last Wednesday to take a flight to Singapore just hours after the SC TRO was granted — led many Filipinos to suspect a collusion to allow GMA and Mike to escape from the cases hounding them.
All over social media, tri-media polls and discussions — public opinion against the 'GMA 8' of the SC has been overwhelming. Many were convinced that the dissenting votes and legal opinions of Justices Antonio Carpio and Ma. Lourdes Sereno provided the right and just decision and that the 'GMA 8' should not have issued the TRO without hearing the government side first. They should also not have disregarded the report of GMA's own doctors that her problem isn't life threatening.
The decision of the 'GMA 8' last Friday to uphold their TRO and ask Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to prove why she should not be cited for contempt — merely heightened public opinion against them. When the Pasay City RTC (Regional Trial Court) issued the arrest warrant to GMA for electoral sabotage, many Filipinos rejoiced and considered it a triumph of justice.
If a Constitutional Crisis happens because of this row, it should not be blamed on an administration that's only following its mandate to stop corruption and bring to the bar of justice those who were responsible for the climate of impunity that characterized the GMA regime. Rather, it should be blamed on those who promulgate decisions that shock a people's sense of justice.
The concept of a Supreme Court as the final arbiter of the law thrives when the High Court is largely perceived as fair, wise, impartial and just in their decisions. They're on dangerous ground when public opinion sees them as otherwise. Ninoy Aquino had the right words for it when he said that Filipinos would accept poverty but not injustice.
It was the people's sense of justice that triggered the 1986 People Power Revolution. The first major injustice that jolted the nation's consciousness was the Ninoy Aquino assassination of August 21, 1983. The ultimate injustice was the cheating operation of the 1986 Snap Presidential Election that was undertaken by the Marcos regime to rob popularly perceived winner, Cory C. Aquino, of victory.
It was again the people's sense of justice that led to People Power II — triggered by the Senate allies of former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada who prevented the opening of the Jose Velarde envelope. They were largely perceived as shielding Erap from the fallout the envelope was expected to unleash. 

In 16th century England, under the reign of King Henry VIII, the monarchy had more powers than what our SC has. Henry VIII was not only the king — he was also the self-proclaimed Head of the Church of England following the breakaway from the Papacy over the Anne Boleyn issue. In 1534, Henry VIII demanded that all his subjects must make an oath of allegiance to the controversial Succession Act.
Sir Thomas More, High Chancellor of Henry VIII, was a devout Catholic and rather than get into an issue with his king, Sir Thomas More opted to resign his office. However, he was too eminent not to glow like a beacon in the darkened realm of Henry VIII. Sir Thomas More was a humble, loyal servant of the king but God's first. For refusing to take the oath of allegiance, Sir Thomas More was convicted in a kangaroo court and beheaded.
Most of the English people and other Europeans saw Sir Thomas More as a martyr and not a criminal. Today, Sir Thomas More is a canonized saint of the Catholic Church while King Henry VIII is largely perceived in history as a tyrant and an insatiable fornicator. At the Ateneo University, where some of the 'GMA 8' had studied, the example of Sir Thomas More is a favorite Jesuit topic when seeking to reinforce the virtues that make men holy and to expose the corrupt and evil acts that ensure a man's place in hell.
Institutions like the Tudor monarchy of 16th century England and our Supreme Court today cannot act in total disregard of the people's sense of justice. Wrong honest mistakes the people can live with but not perceived willful injustice or the perceived obstruction of justice.
Justice for the Maguindanao Massacre victims
Your Chair Wrecker expresses solidarity with our living journalist colleagues in marking tomorrow the second anniversary of the November 23, 2009 Maguindanao Massacre. Considered the single most brutal murder of journalists, we urge the immediate resolution of the case — justice, sooner than later, for our slain colleagues and their loved ones.

*      *      *

Chair Wrecker e-mail and website: macesposo@yahoo.com and www.chairwrecker.com

ADVICE FROM A POLICE OFFICER (Good Read for emergency situation... )

From: Alfred Clayton <clayalf@msn.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 12, 2011 at 12:47 PM

WRITTEN BY A POLICE OFFICER Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. In daylight hours, refresh yourself of these things to do in an emergency situation... This is for you, and for you to share with your wife, your children, everyone you know. After reading these9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in. 1. Tip fromTae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do! 2..Learned this from a tourist guide. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... Chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION! 3.If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy.. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives. 4.Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc.. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR , LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, Repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it . As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location. 5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A.)Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor , and in the back seat. B.)If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.)Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.) 6.ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!) 7.If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.. RUN, Preferably in a zig-zag pattern! 8.As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim. 9.Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird.. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door...' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby... He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. 10. Water scam! If you wake up in the middle of the night to hear all your taps outside running or what you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE! These people turn on all your outside taps full ball so that you will go out to investigate and then attack. Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours! Please pass this on This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on America 's Most Wanted when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle.. I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well. Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it's better to be safe than sorry.. Everyone should take 5 minutes to read this. It may save your life or a loved one's life

SHELL: All profits and no principles

Royal Dutch Shell: Profits and No Principles

Nov 8th, 2011

by John Donovan.

By John Donovan

For the record, the litigation news reports in the "Motiva Live News Feed" – eg. Nintendo Stomps Motiva's Patent Infringement Claims - relate to a small company called Motiva LLC, not Motiva Enterprises, the company owned jointly by Shell and the Saudi regime.

The apparent clash prompted memories of the time that we approached Nintendo and Shell proposing a Nintendo themed instant win promotional game for Shell forecourts. We went to the trouble of obtaining approval from Nintendo before disclosing our proposal to a Shell executive, Andrew Lazenby, on a strictly confidential basis.

While the signs were encouraging with a fax received from Mr Lazenby containing a handwritten message saying: "Thanks John. I'll be back in touch when we've made any further progress. Cheers. Andrew" – Shell was secretly producing a Nintendo themed instant win game.

The first I knew about it was when I turned over a page in a Daily Mail newspaper and saw a colourful advert for a Nintendo promotion on Shell forecourts, which bore a striking similarity to the promotion that I had put forward to Andrew.

During a telephone conversation that same day Andrew professed to be ignorant of the meaning of confidentiality. He said to me:"Under terms of confidentiality? I don't even know anything about this stuff, you're the expert."

To my further surprise, Andrew went on to assert that the "Make Money" game was Shell's property. I reminded him of our joint rights agreement with Shell on the "Make Money" promotion. He replied, "I don't care about that". He evidently thought that because of its financial muscle, we would not dare to go up against Shell in the Courts. He was dead wrong.

I also drew his attention to a serious security flaw in the Nintendo game that potentially enabled staff at Shell stations to identify prizes that were supposed to have been concealed under a latex (scratch-off) patch. He accepted that I had identified a problem. We subsequently discovered from Shell "discovery" documents, that Shell was aware, even before the launch date, that they had a serious problem with print security. Shell still ran the scheme for its full term – so much for Shell's "Profits & Principles" pr line – it should have been "Profits and No Principles."

It became obvious during my discussions with Lazenby and another Shell executive, David Watson, that Shell was up to something with the "Make Money" game. This was confirmed by a high level insider source. Shell was secretly producing a "Make Money" game in direct breach of the joint rights agreement. 100 million game pieces were being printed in North Wales.

We immediately issued High Court proceedings, threatening to serve an injunction and to send legal notifications to every Shell petrol station in the UK.  Shell settled the case out of court.

We subsequently discovered and demonstrated to a team from Shell that the "Make Money" game was totally insecure, with employees being potential able to identify and pick out all winning game pieces. Shell continued with the promotion despite this knowledge.

We also issued proceedings in respect of the Nintendo themed game. Shell also settled that action along with two further High Court cases we brought against the company, all involving the same Shell executive, Andrew Lazenby. Four successive claims, plus two High Court libel actions and a County court case, all settled in our favour by Shell.

Never guessing that his hand-written diary entries would be exposed to scrutiny in the High Court, Lazenby made entries which revealed that he was a disgruntled employee and was intent to "Set up personal business while @ Shell 35 yrs = exit date." It was his apparent objective to exploit his position to create enough personal wealth to exit Shell at the age of 35.

As far as we could tell, all confidential ideas disclosed to Lazenby from a variety of sources and subsequently adopted by Shell, were channeled to an agency called Option One, with whomLazenby had a close private relationship. His diaries also revealed that he had an offshore bank account in the Channel Islands (Jersey).

Readers may wonder why Shell does not take action as the above statements appear to be outrageously libelous. It is because we have the evidence/proof confirming that what we say is true. Hence Shell and its army of lawyers have to put up with the dirty laundry aired here online.

RELATED ARTICLE: Irregularities in a Royal Dutch Shell tender process

Posted in: Andrew Lazenby, Business Principles, Corporate Governance, GoogleNews,John Donovan, Litigation, Outspoken Articles, Royal Dutch Shell Plc.
Tagged: Andrew Lazenby · John Donovan · Litigation · Royal Dutch Shell Plc

← Woodside Petroleum: To Shell or Not to Shell?

State department faces Keystone XL review →

--
Antonio L. Buensuceso Jr.