Return to work, PAL pilots told

By JEAMMA E. SABATE, SAMUEL P. MEDENILLA, and BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT
August 3, 2010, 5:26pm
Manila Bulletin

The government and Philippine Airlines have joined hands in asking the 25 resigned PAL pilots to return to work in the interest of the flying public after a constructive meeting in Malacañang Monday night.

PAL executives led by its Chairman and CEO Lucio C. Tan briefed Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose de Jesus and other Palace officials regarding PAL’s current situation following the sudden resignation of 13 captains and 12 first officers that affected some of its domestic and international flights.

“The government requested PAL to take back the resigned pilots without sanctions. We agreed,” PAL president Jaime J. Bautista said.

As this developed, PAL said its flight operations returned to normal on Tuesday after it announced new flight schedules for three destinations previously affected by flight cancellations.
PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the airlines’ average 160 domestic and international flights daily continue to operate normally and as scheduled. Only one flight each to Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cagayan de Oro has been rescheduled, while all other flights to these three provinces remain unchanged.

“All flights continue as scheduled except those to and from Bacolod (PR135/136); Cagayan de Oro (PR 181/182 except Thursdays); and Iloilo (PR147/148). Passengers booked on rescheduled flights are being advised accordingly to avoid any inconvenience or delays at the airport,” she said.
With the new schedule, Villaluna said PAL customers still have a wide choice of convenient flight schedules to choose from in all PAL destinations. PAL continues to have four flights a day each way between Manila and Iloilo, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro.

PAL executives reiterated in their briefing to government officials that the pilots resigned without giving management the 180-day notice as provided under their contracts or terms of agreement.
“There is no labor dispute as far as the pilots are concerned. Their main reason for leaving is purely on financial or economic reasons,” Bautista explained. “All we are asking is for the pilots to honor their contracts consistent with regulations issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in 2006.”

As “Mission Critical Skills”, pilots and airline mechanics are required under POEA Memorandum Circular No. 3 Series of 2006 to give their local employers 180 days to train their replacements and adjust flight schedules.

“If the pilots will not heed our appeal to return to work within the specified period, the company will seek proper remedies,” Bautista said.

As the problem continues, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the government may temporarily take over the operation of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) if all remedies available to amicably settle the dispute between the airlines management and its pilots would fail.

However, de Lima said an actual takeover is the government's last resort to end the conflict that left thousands of domestic and international-bound passengers stranded in airports and goods went to waste.

Meanwhile, both business and labor rejected government takeover of PAL.

The private sector is not in favor of government taking over PAL, saying such move would not only create unhealthy and unfair competition in the airline industry but also send a wrong signal to investors.

Employers Confederation of the Philippines president Edgardo B. Lacson said that government, which is supposed to be a business enabler, should not be in business.

The same view was aired by the labor sector, warning the government from taking over the management of PAL.

The Partido ng Mangagawa (PM) said in the statement on Tuesday that the government should first allow the current management to resolve the labor disputes, within the company before considering taking-over the country’s airline flag carrier.