PAL seeks arbitration; union braces for strike

After reaching another deadlock in their talks, the management of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) said they will seek the government's arbitration while its union insisted it will push through with its planned strike. PAL spokeswoman Cielo Villaluna said they are willing to have the case placed under arbitration, and the matter is now in the hands of DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. "We hope she will heed that call and we believe this will pave the way for resumption of jurisdiction or she herself will decide on the case. Wala nang mangyayaring mediation talks (There will be no more mediation talks)," Villaluna said said after the meeting on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) said it will push through with its strike. "Walang nangyari sa araw na ito at di gumalaw ang position ng PAL ... Walang urungan ito, tuloy-tuloy na ito (Nothing happened today because PAL management did not budge in its position. There is no turning back. The strike will go on)," FASAP president Bob Anduiza said after the meeting. "Tuloy kami sa planong magwelga (We will push through with our plan to strike)," he added. He said they plan to hold the strike between late October and early November but hinted it may include the All Saints' weekend. Anduiza said they will announce the exact date one week before starting the strike. A report by radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo said PAL management made no new offer aside from a P105-million compensation package and added benefits. She said FASAP is also willing to submit the case for arbitration before the office of Baldoz. In deciding to push through with the strike, Anduiza said the issue is not money but discrimination, referring to the mandatory retirement age of 40 years old for attendants. The PAL management had offered to raise the retirement age to 45 years old but FASAP rejected it. FASAP asks DOLE: Address discrimination issue first In an earlier interview, Anduiza said the DOLE should first tackle the issue of alleged discrimination by the management of PAL, once it assumes jurisdiction over the case. “While kinikilala namin ang karapatan ng Secretary of Labor Baldoz to assume jurisdiction, inaasahan namin umaasa kami pag nag-assume siya immediately mag-rule siya sa discrimination issues. Paano kung assume siya at hayaang humaba ang kaso may mag-retire sa amin," he said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (While we acknowledge Baldoz’s authority to assume jurisdiction, we hope she will tackle the issue of discrimination first. We have members who are retiring and may be affected if the labor row drags on.) FASAP had accused PAL management of discrimination when it imposed a mandatory retirement age of 40 for flight attendants. It rejected the PAL management’s offer to extend the age to 45 years old. Both sides had expressed openness to the Labor Department assuming jurisdiction over the case. Should Baldoz assume jurisdiction, FASAP will be prohibited from its strike. “Sana pinakamagandang mangyari kung nag-assume siya, immediately i-rule niya ano ang discrimination (For us, the best scenario once she assumes jurisdiction is that she will rule soonest on the issue of discrimination)," Anduiza said. On the other hand, Anduiza rejected PAL’s offers of a settlement, saying the issue of discrimination is non-negotiable. He said that while PAL management is trying to look reasonable, it is tying compensation packages to FASAP accepting the new mandatory retirement age of 45 years old. “Di nine-negotiate ang discrimination, yan ay ina-address. Alisin ang condition at i-address ang discrimination (Discrimination is not to be negotiated, it is to be addressed. That condition has to be removed)," he said. –VVP, GMANews.TV