The tau -> (omega, phi)P^- u decays, where P^-=pi^-, K^-, are considered within a phenomenological model with dominance of meson intermediate states. We assume SU(3) flavor symmetry to fix some of the unknown strong interaction couplings. Our predictions for the tau -> phi (pi^-, K^-) u branching fractions are in good agreement with recent measurements of the BABAR and BELLE Collaborations.