PAL Reminds Employees of Return To-Work Order

Tonight

Saturday, November 2, 1996

The Department of Labor and Employment has directed all striking ground personnel of Philippine Airlines to return to work within 24 hours and stop any act that may aggravate the situation in the flag carrier.

The PAL management was also directed to accept them back without imposing any disciplinary action in order to improve relations.

The 24-hour deadline issued by DOLE lapsed at midnight last night. The People's Tonight, however, learned that as of 5 p.m. yesterday only 30 percent of the striking employes complied with the order.

Acting Labor Secretary Cresencio B. Trajano issued the directive to put an end to the wildcat strike called by the PAL Employees' Association (PALEA) early Wednesday night. Thousands of passengers returning to the provinces for the observance of All Saints' Day were stranded as a result of the strike.

He deputized the top officials of the Philippine National Police, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and Bureau of Air Transportation to help implement the DOLE order and ensure the free access at the company's gateways.

In issuing the return-to-work order, Trajano reiterated that any work stoppage at PAL would adversely affect air transport service in the country and embarrass the nation as it plays host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit this month.

He also noted that the PALEA strike, aside from causing tension, disrupted company operations resulting in flight cancellations and inconvenience to passengers and customers.

He expressed disappointment that earlier attempts to settle the labor dispute failed despite several conciliation meetings and two DOLE assumption orders prohibiting a PALEA strike.

He again directed both management and the union to submit their respective position papers within 10 days.

As of 5:30 p.m. yesterday, PAL only managed to operate seven international flights out of Manila. These were the flights bound for Bangkok-Frankfurt-Paris, Narita, Singapore, Hongkong, London, Vancouver-New York and Abu Dhabi. Arrivals include flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Domestic flights which resumed yesterday included those for Davao, Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban, Iloilo and Kalibo. Arrivals included only flights from Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro. A PAL bulletin revealed the company was able to undertake 77 flights while 219 other systemwide flights were cancelled since PALEA mounted its wildcat strike late afternoon of Oct. 30.

The PAL management apologized to the affected passengers who are inconvenienced by the disruption of its operations. They said PAL will continue to maximize available manpower resources and equipment in order to mount as many flights as possible and lessen the inconvenience brought about by the strike.