As PAL strike looms, Aquino threatens to open RP skies

President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III on Friday renewed his threat to open Philippine skies to other airlines if the country's flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), fails to resolve its row with its flight attendants. In an ambush interview after a Navy counter-terror demo in Cavite, Aquino said the policy review about opening Philippine skies is now being "fast-tracked." "The open skies policy, the review is bring fast-tracked and if it is necessary we will do it to minimize disruption to the riding public," Aquino said. Aquino made the statement a day after the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) filed a notice of strike at the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). According to FASAP president Bob Anduiza, their strike may start either late October or November.
FASAP is a labor union representing 1,600 flight attendants. FASAP earlier questioned PAL's mandatory retirement for flight attendants who reach age 40. PAL, however, claimed that this was part of their collective bargaining agreement with them. The president said he has instructed the Executive Secretary, the DOLE, and the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to help ensure that PAL and the flight attendants would reach a favorable agreement. "I appeal to both sides, both the labor and the management, to go to the bargaining table with the end in view of really achieving that agreement because at the end of the day I guarantee you, we will not sacrifice the public interest and I am ready, if I have to choose between the PAL and the Filipino, I think the choice is obvious. So I want to remind them of that," he said. "At this point, there's no expectation that services will be disrupted but even without that expectation, there has been a notice by the CAB (civil aviation board) to other airlines of potential slots that they will be given to replace the slots that PAL would not be servicing if they go on strike," said the president. Aquino quoted DOLE Secretary Rosalindo Baldoz as saying the flight attendants will be issued return-to-work orders if they push through with the strike. In a radio interview on Friday, Baldoz said the DOLE hopes to help the PAL management and the FASAP come up with a win-win solution during a 30-day cooling off period. The DOLE is planning to hold marathon meetings with the PAL management and the flight attendants to avert a strike that can cripple the flag carrier, she said. "Marathon siguro ang ating pakikipagpulong sa kanila ... Magtutulung-tulungan tayo sa cooling-off period [na] humanap ng settlement sa notice of strike, baka may offer and counter-offer from both sides," Baldoz said in an interview on dzXL radio. (We may hold marathon meetings with both sides. We want to help resolve the matter during this cooling-off period, during which we expect both sides to come up with their offers and counter-offers.) –VVP, GMANews.TV