PAL, FASAP amenable to DOLE intervention in labor row

The Philippine Airlines management and the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines are amenable to the Department of Labor and Employment's intervention in their labor row. While PAL president Jaime Bautista said he is inclined to ask the DOLE to assume jurisdiction, the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) said they are open to the option. "Hihingin namin sa DOLE na mag-assume ng jurisdiction (We will likely ask the DOLE to assume jurisdiction of the case)," Bautista said in an interview on dzRH radio Thursday. In a separate interview on dzRH, FASAP said that only President Benigno Aquino III or Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz can avert their planned strike in October or November. FASAP vice president Andy Ortega said these are the only two interventions they will heed. "President Aquino can intervene or Labor Secretary Baldoz can take jurisdiction of the case to avert the strike. Those are the two options we are open to," Ortega said in Filipino. Conciliation talks On Wednesday, FASAP said it is ending conciliation talks with PAL management and pushing through with its plan to strike, after failing to reach an agreement last Tuesday. But PAL management said it was surprised over FASAP’s sudden turnaround during Tuesday’s DOLE-led negotiations. In a statement, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said: "It was upon DOLE's recommendation that PAL and the FASAP agreed to a recess and to meet again next week. PAL management was surprised by FASAP's sudden turnaround by announcing their decision to strike." Cielo added: "PAL would like to assure our passengers that a strike will not happen overnight. Management is asking DOLE to immediately step in to avert the strike and protect the interests of the riding public." Also, Villaluna said the management is putting in place contingency measures to minimize the effects of the strike on passengers. Should the strike push through, Bautista assured the work stoppage would not be a big problem for domestic flights. In the radio interview, Bautista said: "We will transfer passengers to other airlines. But as for domestic passengers, we will have Air Philippines take up the slack." Discriminatory? Meanwhile, FASAP’s Ortega said the strike aims to end PAL's policy of discriminating against of flight attendants through its early retirement age of 40, which is one of the reasons why the group turned its back on the negotiating table. On the other hand, Villaluna said PAL has been negotiating in good faith and has bent backwards to accommodate some of the FASAP's demands."It is the union [FASAP] that is playing hardball, dismissing outright management's offers without even a second glance." "Contrary to FASAP's claims, there will be no layoffs as a result of the mixed crew scheme. There will also be no reduction in flight assignments and pay of international cabin attendants. Why is FASAP so averse to the idea of their younger members earning a little more?" said Villaluna in PAL's Sept. 28 statement. She added that PAL's early retirement age is based on policies of other carriers in the region. "PAL maintains that while the early retirement age is negotiable, it is by no means illegal nor immoral," she said. She added that from day one, FASAP has not shown any intention to consider anything short of their demands. "A negotiation is like a two-way street; it's give and take. It's very difficult to deal and negotiate with a party who only wants things to go their way," Villaluna said. PAL and FASAP have been in DOLE-mediated talks since the union filed a notice of strike last September 9. Villaluna admitted PAL and FASAP failed to see eye to eye on two contentious issues, including the mandatory retirement age for flight attendants and compensation package. [See story: PAL retirement, pay issues with flight attendants still unresolved] She also said the strike will come at a bad time, as October to December is considered a peak travel period. “We were hoping to exhaust all mediation efforts, till October 10. But if they feel the talks are going nowhere, we respect their decision although we felt otherwise," she said in an interview on dwIZ radio Thursday. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV