Column by Ducky Paredes

Malaya

Saturday, November 2, 1996

IF THE employees of Philippine Airlines we have talked to are sincere, it would seem that the problem of the airline is a lack of communication. The employees keep coming up with doomsday scenarios for themselves.

The current strike, says one pilot, comes forth in an attempt to stop the planned dismissal of thirty percent of the PAL Employees' Association (PALEA) members, without being given separation pay or any consideration. These people have been in PAL for the last 20 years, he explains, and goes on to say that an airline is not a balance sheet but is made up of personnel.

So where did he get that?

Do you know, he countered, that Lufthansa personnel are already coming in to replace PAL employees and that the recent agreement signed with General Electric for the overhaul of jet engines means that GE employees will be taking the place of those who have been with PAL for so many years?

What Lucio Tan is doing is what Lorenzo did with United Airlines, said the pilot. He is cutting it up into little pieces which will be converted into separate companies which he will also own.

I pointed out that in talking with management, I had asked them pointedly about these things. Yet, each time, management, no matter who of the managers I spoke with, told me that no employee will be dismissed. While it is true that those who retire or resign are not being replaced with permanent employees, the managers explain that this is only because PAL wants to reduce the number of positions in an effort to streamline the company and make it more efficient.

So, I told him, I do not see your point.

Don't believe them, the pilot tells me, they are lying.

And PALEA is not into fibbing, of course.

It was a mess at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Thursday, the first day of PALEA strike.

While passengers of other airlines were able to leave the airport within half an hour of arrival, those who came in on PAL flights had to wait for hours for their baggage. In fact, many actually left the airport, after futilely waiting for as long as six hours, with just their handcarries, leaving their luggage to be handled by Interline for later pickup.

This sort of thing should not be allowed to happen. Whether or not there is a good reason for the strike does not matter. What the authorities ought to look into is the convenience of the passengers.

This does not happen elsewhere in the world. When passengers come in, they are properly serviced, whether or not an airline, baggage handlers, or anyone else is on strike.

The one that must take the blame for the mess at the NAIA is the current management headed by former General Francisco Atayde. There is no reason to ever let the situation deteriorate this badly. We were looking for Atayde last Thursday to interview him over DZWL and were told that he was off to a meeting. He should have been handling the baggage himself personally if this was what had to be done.

There is no good reason that one can use. The work had to be done and the management of the airport had the authority to see to it that the passengers are served. Instead, what we have now is the general impression that the passengers have about the Philippines, that it is not a place where things work.

At the Domestic Terminal, strikers were preventing passengers from checking in. This is also something that should not have been allowed by the managers of the terminal.