PAL proceeds with case vs. pilots

Wednesday, 11 August 2010 00:00
BY DARWIN G. AMOJELAR SENIOR REPORTER
THE MANILA TIMES

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) on Tuesday asked its flight attendants and stewards to reconsider a plan to hold a strike amid management efforts to bridge their differences. In a statement, PAL said the company is sincere in addressing the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) concerns.

“Let’s find a peaceful solution to our internal problems for the sake of the flying public,” Jaime Bautista, PAL president said.

He said negotiations are still ongoing before the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) where FASAP members could ventilate their grievances.

Andy Ortega, FASAP vice president had threatened that the group would go on strike after the PAL management proposal failed to address the real problems the employees had raised.

The next meeting between PAL management and FASAP officers is scheduled for August 17 before the NCMB.

“We recognize the flight attendants’ right to express their concerns, and they can use the negotiating table to do that,” Bautista said.

He said PAL is suffering financial difficulties, thus its inability to offer more than the P80 million one-time package to FASAP under their 2005-2010 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

“PAL was hit hard by the global economic recession and slowdown in travel just like the other airlines around the world. We could not afford at the moment what they are asking. But to show our good faith and sincerity in addressing their concerns, we offered the P80 million one-time package to be divided among FASAP members,” Bautista said.

He said management was willing to discuss the retirement age issue during the mediation held Monday at NCMB, adding that the company preferred to incorporate this matter in the next CBA for 2010 to 2015.

“We told them that since the first flight crew to be affected by the 40-year-old retirement rule under the existing CBA is still years from now, we have enough time to discuss it with no one being adversely affected by the said rule,” the executive said.

Bautista said the first crew—assuming she was hired in year 2000 at the age of 22—will only turn 40 in 2018. Those hired in 1996 will only turn 45 by 2019.

Under the existing CBA, male and female flight attendants who were hired before November 1996 would be retired once they reach 60 and 55 years old, respectively, and those hired from 1996 and beyond would be retired at age 45 for both males and females. Those hired after November 2000 will be retired by the age of 40 for both males and females.

The country’s flag carrier said none of the 26 pilots who suddenly left their jobs have returned to their posts even as the airline gave them seven days to come back without sanctions.

“It’s apparent that these pilots already have commitments abroad and opted not to return,” Bautista said, adding that an administrative process is ongoing, in line with the company’s internal rules and regulations.

“Pilots will be served notices to explain why they continue to fail to report for flight duty. So far, the pilots have been served “notices,” to which they were given the opportunity to respond, he explained,” Bautista said.

“Right now, the administrative process is taking its course. But even while this is ongoing, our legal department is studying what cases will be filed in the coming days,” he added.