MANILA, Philippines ?Votes in favor of a work stoppage at the Philippine Airlines, to protest the company?s planned retrenchment, immediately took a commanding lead in the initial results of a strike vote taken by the labor union on Tuesday, a union official said.

Over 90 percent of the votes by unionized workers so far counted as of late afternoon, Tuesday, supported work stoppage.

PAL Employees? Association (PALEA) president Gerry Rivera said votes coming from the company?s outlying stations in Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, among others, showed that nearly all the union?s members voted for a strike.

Votes from these areas made up about less than 100 of the union?s total membership of over 3,600. About 2,800 of these workers are based in Manila.

The strike vote, which started at 9 a.m., will end at Tuesday midnight.