PAL hits cabin crew strike threat

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Saturday maintained that the company's decision to retire eight flight attendants is sanctioned by a court order.

This as the airline hit the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (Fasap) for coming out of strike threats despite the legality of the court order issued by Makati Regional Trial Court Judge Oscar Pimentel.

"Fasap's threat to file another notice of strike is, to our mind, another posturing by the union. PAL believes that its decision to proceed with the retirement of cabin crews who have reached their retirement age is based on solid legal grounds," PAL said.

To recall, Pimentel lifted an injunction order, which stemmed from a case filed by the flight attendants to prevent PAL from retiring them when they reach the retirement age of 55.

"If Fasap, the Commission of Human Rights or any other organization are opposed to the order of the Makati Regional Trial Court (allowing PAL to retire its flight attendants), then perhaps, it's best for them to directly question the court's order," the company said.

Andy Ortega, Fasap vice president, said that PAL's move to trim down flight attendants would only worsen the labor dispute as it sought the intervention of the Labor department on the issue.

"If Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz allows this, then we should also be allowed to go on strike. We did not go on strike even after holding a strike vote after she assumed jurisdiction because we wanted to follow the process," he said.

"Now, here comes PAL retiring our flight pursers. If PAL is not stopped, the labor dispute will definitely worsen," Ortega added.

The Fasap official said the court ruling defied an order from Baldoz last December that the retirement age of all PAL flight attendants must be 60 years old.

But the Lucio Tan-led airline stressed that Baldoz's decision pushing the retirement age is not yet final and executory and cannot be applied yet to the case of the eight pursers. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)