PAL flights green and go as DOLE bans cabin crew strike

by Philippine Airlines on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 at 5:17pm

Passengers of Philippine Airlines (PAL) may now confidently firm up their travel plans after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) today assumed jurisdiction over the flag carrier’s labor dispute with its cabin crew union.

“Labor secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a radio interview that she will assume jurisdiction of the PAL labor case. An assumption order has the force and effect of a status quo order which means that FASAP (Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines) cannot stage a strike or work stoppage while the labor case is being adjudicated,” PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.

At the same time, she said PAL management is also enjoined by the order from performing any act that could disturb prevailing conditions.

"Philippine Airlines is grateful to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz for putting public interest ahead of any particular group. FASAP’s repeated strike threats is a cause of grave concern for PAL passengers whose travel plans are being unfairly disrupted,” Villaluna said.

“Now FASAP is banned from staging a strike or any work stoppage, our passengers are assured of unhampered operations. We advise them to book early for their flights especially for the coming semestral break and All Saints/Souls Day holidays," she added.

As the labor case is submitted for arbitration, PAL and FASAP will submit their respective position papers on three pending issues – economic package (or wage increase), retirement age and maternity/pregnancy-related benefits – for resolution by the labor secretary.

PAL will show DOLE that the airline's P105-million salary increase and additional rice allocation offer is predicated on the company's capacity to pay after P15-billion losses in the last two consecutive years.

Meanwhile, Villaluna said PAL's proposal to change the retirement age to 45 from 40 is benchmarked against its competitors in the ASEAN region and the airline industry in general which puts a high premium on the image and physical fitness of frontline safety officers such as cabin crew.

She added management's offer of expanded maternity-related benefits is something FASAP should consider instead of rejecting PAL’s offers “lock stock and barrel.”

"We hope Secretary Baldoz would be able to judiciously resolve the contentious issues soonest so that PAL can operate smoothly and efficiently without threats of any work stoppage that unnecessarily scares away customers and investors, Villaluna said.