President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has confirmed that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will take jurisdiction over the unresolved labor row between the management and the flight attendants of Philippine Airlines (PAL).
In an ambush interview in Tagaytay, Aquino confirmed that Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz will take a more active role in resolving the dispute after negotiations between the PAL and the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) crumbled anew on Tuesday.
"Ia-assume niya iyong jurisdiction (She will assume jurisdiction over the matter)," Aquino said.
In a separate radio dzBB report, Baldoz was also quoted as saying "there might be no other way [for the DOLE] but to follow the next step, which is compulsary arbitration."
However, the President clarified that giving the Labor department jurisdiction over the spat does not mean the issue was already "irreconcilable" and should already force the Palace to enforce an "Open Skies Policy."
"Huwag ho tayo magpa-panic... Wala pa naman iyong (Let's not panic...There has been no) anticipated damage to the economy by the loss of the carrier capacity. So we're still hoping that this can be resolved," Aquino said.
Baldoz said the DOLE will only start mediating for the two parties once they receive a manifestation from the PAL management seeking the agency's help in holding compulsory arbitration.
Baldoz assured the public that she would try to convince both the PAL management and the FASAP to make "last-minute reconciliation efforts," once negotiations are handled by the DOLE.
Meanwhile, Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte appealed to the public not to make rash judgments over the PAL labor row, adding that the DOLE should first ensure that getting "administrative jurisdiction" of the matter was already the last option.
"Mahirap po kasi na padalos-dalos tayo so I think si Secretary Baldoz tinitingnan din iyan... Sa kahit ano naman pong litigation or in any court proceeding or quasi-judicial proceeding or any administrative proceeding, bibigyan po talaga natin, ia-afford po natin sila lahat ng pagkakataon upang makapag-ayos," Valte said.
(It's difficult when we make rash judgments so I think Secretary Baldoz will look into it. In any litigation, court proceeding, quasi-judicial proceeding, or any administrative proceeding, we will give them all the chances to settle things amicably.)
After mediation talks collapsed anew earlier in the day, PAL spokeperson Cielo Villaluna urged Baldoz to step into the matter and help resolve the disagreements.
"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)," she said after the meeting.
Meanwhile, FASAP president Bob Anduiza said that since the PAL management refused to change their stand on the issue, his group would be forced to push through with its labor 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)," Anduiza said after the meeting.
During Tuesday's talks, the PAL management reportedly made no new offer aside from a P105-million compensation package and added benefits.
"Tuloy kami sa planong magwelga (We will push through with our plan to strike)," Anduiza added.
He said they are targeting the strike to be 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.
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.
PAL management had offered to raise the retirement age to 45 years old but FASAP rejected it.
While admitting they are also open to the idea of the DOLE of going into compulsary arbitration to resolve the matter, Anduiza urged Baldoz to first tackle the PAL management's discrimination over the mandatory reiterment age of 40 years old for flight attendants.
“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. –VVP
