Strike Imminent
August 10, 2010
The Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) declined Philippine Airlines P80-million package to settle their CBA for 2005-2010 because the airline refused to talk about its mandatory retirement age policy, and instead opted that the attendants’ main complaint about retirement age should be discussed only in the next collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations for 2010-2015.
There was no meeting of minds at the NCMB because the airlines wanted closure to the 2005-2010 CBA by offering P80 million settlement, while FASAP wanted the airline to lift its retirement age policy for being discriminatory. FASAP is also contesting the “no-motherhood policy” of PAL, which bars a pregnant flight attendant from receiving any salary or allowance and travel benefits while she is on leave.
On the retirement age issue, PAL President Jaime Bautista said there was “more than enough time” to discuss the retirement age provisions and issues in the next CBA negotiations and they want closure to the previous one that has been a source of conflict between the two parties.
Under the existing CBA, male and female flight attendants hired before November 1996 will be retired once they reach 60 and 55, respectively, and those hired starting 1996 will be retired at age 45. Those hired after November 2000 will be retired at the age of 40.
FASAP has opposed PAL’s implementation of a mandatory retirement age of 40 for both male and female flight attendants, claiming it’s “discriminatory.”
“They said they want to talk about the retirement age in the next CBA, which, for us, is simply unacceptable. It should be settled in this CBA negotiation,” FASAP president Roberto Anduiza said.
I would agree sana with the flight attendants, pero seeing the older ones who are very masusungit and some are snooty, and having themselves let go, is not actually a good identity for an airline. In the service industry, I think they should be more concerned how they present themselves. If they somewhat retain their look beyond 40 then it's ok, Pero pag pag di na ok tingnan at masungit pa, well better move on to a different career.
ReplyDeleteI was a PAL employee for 11 years before migrating to the US as long as LT is the owner this company will nor prosper it has been a milking cow for previous owners.
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