TALKS between the management and union of Philippine Airlines failed anew yesterday, resulting in PAL seeking arbitration from the Department of Labor and Employment and the union calling for a strike end of the month or the first week of November.
PAL’s call for arbitration may lead Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz to assume jurisdiction over the case to prevent a strike.
The Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines has threatened to go on strike if their demands to scrap management policy withholding benefits against flight attendants who get pregnant and for higher retirement age, among others, are not met.
PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the airline was preparing contin-gency measures in case of a strike but assured the public that any protest action would not take effect immediately.
She said the management remained firm in its offer to grant a P105-million package to flight attendants up for retirement and to adjust the retirement age from 40-45 for those who were hired in 2000, among others.
