Labor official open to intervene PAL issue

LABOR Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz expressed readiness to intervene in the ongoing row between the Philippine Airlines (PAL) management and its flight crew.

According to Baldoz, she will not hesitate to take over the jurisdiction in the brewing dispute to avoid a repeat of flight disruptions of the flag carrier.

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“I'll exercise my authority to intervene to prevent any major disruption in the airline industry,” said Baldoz.

The Labor Code of the Philippines stated that the Secretary of Labor and Employment may assume jurisdiction over the disputes in a strike in an industry “indispensable to the national interest”.

To recall, the Flight Attendants and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (Fasap) declared its determination to go on strike after its repeated demand for the removal of “discriminatory” policies was junked by the management.

This week, Fasap officers are set to file their Notice of Strike with Dole saying they are already left with no other choice but to take the “final option”.

For her part, Baldoz said she remains hopeful that there will still be room for conciliation between warring parties.

“It will take 30 days for a cooling off period, to still look for a settlement… so more than one month to enable the government, the flight attendants union, and the PAL management to look for mutually-agreed solutions,” she added. (AMN/Sunnex)