Aquino warns of open skies

Saturday, 11 September 2010 00:00
Threat again made over planned strike at PAL
THE MANILA TIMES

President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Friday again threatened to implement the open-skies policy should Philippine Airlines and the flag-carrier’s cabin crew fail to resolve their labor dispute.
During a chance interview, President Aquino said that review of the policy is picking up speed.

“On top of that, the review of the open-skies policy is being fast-tracked. And if it is necessary, we will do it to minimize disruptions to the riding public,” the President added.

Mr. Aquino made the statement in the wake of reports that the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of Philippine Airlines (Fasap) had filed notice of strike before the Department of Labor and Employment.

The President said that he already instructed the Department of Transportation and Communications, Labor department and the executive secretary to ensure that the airline’s management and its cabin crew come up with favorable agreement.

“I appeal to both sides, both labor and management, to go to the bargaining table with the end in view of really achieving that agreement,” he said at the sidelines of the Navy demonstration of anti-terrorism capability training at Sangley Point in Cavite.

“I guarantee you that we will not sacrifice the public interest. If I have to choose between PAL [Philippine Airlines] and the Filipino people, I think the choice is obvious. So I want to remind them of that,” Mr. Aquino added.

The President said, “At this point, there is no expectation that the services [of the flag-carrier] will be disrupted.”

“But even without that expectation, there has been a notice by the CAB [Civil Aeronautics Board] to other airlines of potential slots that they will be given to replace the slots that [PAL] probably will not be servicing if [Fasap goes] on strike,” he added.

On Thursday, Fasap filed a notice of strike before the Labor department to protest PAL management‘s alleged gender and salary discrimination.
Its president, Robert Anduiza, said that the alleged refusal of PAL management to bargain in good faith and age, gender and salary discrimination forced them to go on strike by end of October.