Labor party, PAL ground crew union back flight attendants’ strike

A labor group and the Philippine Airlines ground crew labor union have expressed support for the planned strike of the flag carrier’s Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP). The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) and the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA), vowed to support FASAP’s move by mobilizing their members in support of the planned work stoppage. Judy Ann Miranda, secretary general of PM, declared: “FASAP’s brothers and sisters in the labor movements stand as one body and speak with one voice in solidarity with the struggle of the flight attendants. We will mobilize our members, especially women workers, to support their fight." Meanwhile Gerry Rivera, PALEA president, had said “[members of their union] will respect any picket line that will be setup by FASAP. We will be with them in the picket lines." Last Thursday, FASAP announced the collapse of mediation talks with the PAL management, stemming from company’s supposed hard-line position on the contentious issue of retirement age. The flight attendants union was asking that the retirement age be raised from 40 to 60 years old, saying the present policy is discriminating against predominantly female flight crew. FASAP declared that it will go on strike anytime by end of October or early November, the start of the peak season. But PAL management said it was surprised over FASAP’s sudden turnaround during last Tuesday’s Department of Labor and Employment (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." She 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. PALEA also has a pending notice of strike but the dispute over the planned retrenchment of some 3,000 ground personnel has been assumed by the Labor department. In the comments the PALEA submitted to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz last September 14, it called on her to declare the mass layoff as illegal and to find PAL guilty of unfair labor practice. [See story: PALEA marks 64th anniv amid threats of mass layoffs] Meanwhile, the DOLE on Friday said it is ready to take jurisdiction over PAL-FASAP labor row. However, Secretary Baldoz said on Friday that the department may have to wait until at least Tuesday (October 5) before formally taking jurisdiction over the case. — Jerbert Briola/LBG, GMANews.TV