The union of flight attendants and stewards at the Philippine Airlines (PAL) may be planning a strike, but it is willing to waive the “surprise factor" in order not to inconvenience the airline’s customers.
This assurance was made Wednesday by the president of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) amid growing concern that talks with PAL management for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) may not resolve the apparent deadlock and thus lead to a strike that could cripple the national flag-carrier’s operations.
“Mahalagang sandata sa strike ang element of surprise. Pero hindi namin ito gagawin, sasabihin naming sa publiko kung kailan kami mag-i-strike upang makapaghanda sila at hindi sila maantala," FASAP president Robert Anduiza said.
(The element of surprise is an important weapon in a strike. But we will not use it. We will inform the public on when we will begin the strike, so that commuters can prepare and avoid delays.)
Anduiza is leading FASAP’s negotiations with PAL management, which remains uncommitted to the union demand to change the mandatory age retirement being imposed by PAL. The unsettled issue has apparently led to a deadlock in negotiations.
Another negotiation between PAL and FASAP is set on Tuesday, August 17, with Anduiza saying that the ball is now on the hands of PAL management.
“Ang usapin dito ay hindi naman pera lamang, secondary lang yon. Ang mas malaking usapin sa amin ay ang discrimination. Dahil dito, ang bola ay wala na sa amin kungdi nasa PAL management na," said Anduiza.
(Money isn’t the only issue here, it is only secondary. For us, the bigger issue is discrimination. Because of this, the ball is not with us now but in the PAL management’s court.)
‘PAL must heed demands’
Meanwhile, former party-list representative Risa Hontiveros said the PAL management and its majority shareholder, Lucio Tan should stop using the public as a shield to “evade responsibility to heed its workers’ demands."
At the same time, she also asked both PAL and FASAP to refrain from causing public inconvenience “by going on strike."
The real issue is Tan and PAL’s unfair labor practices particularly its unjust retirement age limits to flight stewards and attendants, Hontiveros said in a statement. She was referring to PAL’s policy of forcing women workers hired after 2000 to retire at the age of 40 while those who started working for the airline after 1996 are forced to leave the company at age 45.
The airline also has unfair pregnancy, maternity and motherhood policies, the former Akbayan party-list representative said.
Earlier, FASAP said flight attendants who get pregnant are placed on pregnancy leave without pay and during the remaining months of their pregnancy with all benefits suspended.
Hontiveros said this is a form of gender discrimination and sexism, which Filipino women can easily identify with.
“I believe the issue has a strong resonance among the public especially among mothers and young women. Hence, if we love and respect our women and families, the public must support FASAP in its just fight against unwarranted and discriminatory policies," she said.
Last Monday, Akbayan Reps. Walden Bello and Kaka Bag-ao filed a resolution asking the Committee on Labor and Employment of the Lower House to conduct an immediate investigation on the alleged bad faith by the PAL management in its ongoing negotiations for a new CBA with the employees.—Robert JA Basilio Jr./JV
