The news about PAL employees’ strike struck me last September 30, 2011.

Around 2,000 employees have spent their day today holding their banners and screaming their hearts out. Most of the protesters are spending their last day crying against contractualization.

Months ago, the country’s labor department decided that the Philippine Airlines may opt to use outsourcing companies for the airline’s ground operations to save money.

The 2,000 employees that were affected had an option to work under the chosen outsourced company, but will undergo six months of probationary period.

The case is still being reviewed in the Court of Appeals. But effective October 1, 2011, 85 days to Christmas, those 2,000 employees are jobless (minus close to 750 people who opted to work under the outsourcing company).

Imagine if you have worked for a company for more than a decade.

You’ve put all your hard work – blood, sweat, tears – for the organization.

You’ve risked your life commuting every day, getting out of the house early and coming home late.

You took the risk of going to work even if you were sick, or if a family member was sick.

You braved the rains, the heat, the traffic.

Of course the company have trained you, provided you the best conducive working environment, sent to seminars now and then, deducted the right amount of taxes from your salary and gave you bonuses (if any). You learned a lot from the company.

But still, you’ll be jobless by midnight of October 1.

Is this how loyalty pays?

I wish I could say now that I am happy that I have my weekends and by Monday, I have a job.

A few years ago, I was sticking to that same grateful attitude.

Don’t get me wrong. I am thankful that I am able and capable to work for others.

But since I have learned that I could work from home, my insights on these situations have changed.

I am putting together all the skills that I know. I’m reading books. I’m attending webinars. I keep on learning and updating my skills. Soon, I would schedule taking of tests and applying for online jobs.

So that one day, I would see myself entering a different office, a new door that set to open more possibilities. A door which is just next to my room in the house.

No more early morning alarms.

No more traffic jams.

No more braving the rains.

No more job uncertainties.

PAL employees, if you could read this, I want you to know that I am sad for your plight.

Cry now, be sad now, and you may even scream your pain out.

But get up after.

You can either sulk until a wall brakes on you, or you can rise from this.

Like the usual adage says, there are many ways to kill a cat. You can work from home.