PAL to file administrative raps vs resigned pilots

The more than 20 pilots who resigned from Philippine Airlines (PAL) did not return to their jobs despite the seven-day deadline given to them by the flag carrier. The deadline expired 12 a.m. Tuesday without anybody from the 26 pilots showing up for work. “Wala ni isa sa pilotong nagbitiw sa trabaho ang tumugon sa panawagan ng PAL management na bumalik sa trabaho (None of the pilots heeded PAL’s appeal for them to return to work)," said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna in a radio dzBB interview. Villaluna said the management now has no choice but to file administrative charges against the pilots, whose resignation forced PAL to cancel and reschedule many of its domestic flights. “Sisimulan na po ang prosesong pang-administrative (We will now start the process of filing administrative charges against them)," she said. The pilots reportedly quit their jobs after learning that they will be transferred to PAL’s sister company and budget airline AirPhil Express where they will receive lower salaries with no benefits. PAL has already withdrawn its plan to transfer the pilots although it denied that the pilots will receive lower salaries once they are in AirPhil.

Contracts Villaluna said pilots are bound by their contracts to render services six months after they tender their resignation so the airlines can train their replacements. Villaluna said filing administrative charges is allowed under the flag carrier’s internal rules and regulations, even as she assured the pilots of fair treatment. “Bibigyan sila ng (They will be given) notices. We will ask them to explain why they didn’t show up for their flight duties," she said, adding that the management will be issuing seven notices at most. She said they are still willing to re-consider their move should the pilots have a change of heart. Reconsider our offer Meanwhile, the PAL management reiterated its appeal to the Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (FASAP) not to stage a labor strike in connection with its grievances on wage and retirement. “Hindi ito magdudulot ng kabutihan para sa flag carrier. Maaantala po ang aming flights sa lahat ng local and international destinations. Kaya kami ay nananawagan na huwag nang ihain ang notice of strike," Villaluna said. FASAP earlier threatened to bring their concerns before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and apply for a notice of strike. Villaluna appealed to FASAP to reconsider the management's offer of a one-time payment of P80 million supposedly meant to address the concerns raised in relation with the 2005-2010 collective bargaining agreement. The FASAP has rejected the “incomplete" offer. FASAP president Robert Anduiza said the amount would not matter much since it would be distributed in three years for its 1,600 members. “The proposal does not even address the minimum wage violations of PAL or even the discriminatory allocation of rice subsidy to its employees," Anduiza said. Dealing with discrimination claims, a Makati court earlier issued an injunction order against PAL’s retirement policy deeming flight attendants hired before November 1996 as resigned by the age of 55 for women and 60 for men. - KBK, GMANews.TV