INQUIRER.net First Posted 08:55:00 10/10/2010
MANILA, Philippines—Hundreds of aspiring cabin crew flock the recruitment offices of Philippine Airlines (PAL) every day in the hope of landing jobs in a company known for generous perks and travel opportunities, the flag carrier said in a statement in the midst of its labor woes.
"For the first nine months of the year, PAL received close to 20,000 job applications. Our Talent Acquisition, Management, and Retention Division accepts an average of 100 applicants a day. For August alone, a total of 3,520 applications were processed," said Jose S.L. Uybarreta, PAL vice president for Human Resources Development.
Of the total number of applicants, he said about half or 9,000 were seeking cabin crew positions. “PAL recently added two brand new ‘Extended Range’ Boeing 777-300s to its fleet of wide-body aircraft. This led to the promotion of senior cabin crew and opened the door for the hiring and training of new ones,” he said.
Judging from the daily influx of applicants, Uybarreta said he believes PAL’s current labor problems with its cabin crew union have not deterred fresh graduates from applying with Asia’s first airline.
The labor case between PAL and its cabin crew union, the Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (Fasap), is currently undergoing arbitration before the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE). The negotiation is stalled at management’s offer of P105-million in increased salary and rice allowances, expanded maternity-related benefits, and extended retirement age of 45 from the original 40 for both male and female cabin crew. An assumption order by the labor secretary banned the union from staging a planned strike.
“PAL maintains a good and competitive track record when it comes to employee salaries and benefits. Hence, Fasap’s unfounded allegations of below-minimum wage pay and gender discrimination do not seem to hold water among aspiring crew members,” he stressed.
"If PAL is discriminating and/or abusing its cabin crew, applicants should outright be disillusioned from entering PAL. But many real-life success stories of our flight attendants fuel dreams of starting a flying career with PAL," said Uybarreta.
He added that fresh college graduates from exclusive schools are also enticed, not just by the prospect of flying to different local and foreign destinations, but also by PAL's generous package of allowances and benefits.
He advised applicants to prepare before submitting their applications. He said PAL implements a strict recruitment and screening process. Those who pass the pre-screening are subjected to a panel interview, then undergo a battery of tests, including a crucial medical exam.
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