FASAP drops strike plan after DOLE resolves retirement age issue

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight attendants union has called off its planned labor strike after the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) raised the attendants' compulsory retirement age from 40 to 60 years old. DOLE ended on Thursday night a three-month row between the PAL management and the Flight Attendants and Stewardess Association of the Philippines (FASAP) by setting the compulsory retirement age at 60 years old. FASAP president Bob Anduiza thanked the Labor Department for resolving the issue of "age discrimination" as flight attendants were required to retire at 40 years old. DOLE also resolved issues about maternity and pregnancy leave benefits, general wage increases, and higher rice allowances for 1,542 FASAP members. “This will be a merry Christmas for us. For so long we have fought against discrimination. Finally, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz made the right decision. Discrimination is not a negotiable thing. There is no compromise on the issue because it is about right versus wrong," FASAP’s Anduiza said in Filipino in an interview aired on dzBB radio Friday morning. He assured PAL passengers that the FASAP will be ready to work with the PAL management and will no longer push through with its planned strike. The PAL management has yet to issue an official statement on the matter. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV on Friday, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the management has not yet received a copy of the DOLE resolution. “Right after we get a copy of Secretary Baldoz’s resolution, we will come out with an official statement," Villaluna said. On the other hand, Anduiza said FASAP is ready to help PAL retake the top spot in the highly competitive airlines industry, both in the local and international scenes. “To the riding public, we assure you we have no more plans to push through with the strike. A strike is a no-win situation," he said, adding the strike had been their last resort to fight against discrimination. “Nananawagan kami sa management ... Ito ay napakagandang opportunity magkaisa na kami (We are calling on management: this is a good opportunity to unite)," he added. Some provisions of the DOLE resolution include:

• Compulsory retirement age for all FASAP members at 60 years old;
• Two pregnancy leaves for a maximum of seven months for each leave, to be credited in computing the length of service for retirement, 13th month pay, Christmas bonus, rice allowance, and trip passes;
• Maternity leaves for a maximum of four (4) deliveries already being enjoyed will be credited in computing the length of service for retirement, 13th month pay, Christmas bonus, rice allowance, and trip passes;
• Prospective application of pregnancy and maternity leave crediting;
• Grant of monthly rice allowance in the amount of P1,800 for the period covering 16 July 2007 to 15 July 2010, estimated at P25 million; and
• Grant of three-year salary increases estimated at over P200 million.

On Sept. 9 this year, FASAP filed a strike notice before the DOLE after claiming to have "exhausted" the negotiating process. Anduiza said they received a copy of the DOLE decision at 8:30 p.m., by fax and email. “Mga 8:30 nakatanggap kami email at fax, binigay sa amin ang decision (We received the copy of the decision by email and fax at 8:30 p.m.)," he said. FASAP earlier accused PAL of “outdated sexist policies against its flight attendants." FASAP earlier scored PAL’s pregnancy and maternity policies where pregnant flight are placed on pregnancy leave without pay. The pregnancy leave is also deducted from the flight attendant’s years of service, FASAP said. “The flight attendants are being discriminated against, and it is the only employee group in PAL which were not granted pay increases in the past three years," FASAP said. — LBG/VVP, GMANews.TV