Lack of Pilots forces PAL to cancel flights

[chua_riwap]

^ Nak ng teteng o.

Pag umabot pa ng 60yo ang mga FAs na yan, mas lalong swangit.........

[safeorigin]

kahit walang turbulence e mapapabarfbag ka

[_Cathy_]

You guys are so mean. Tatanda din kayo. Sige.

[Monseratto]

respect you elders...

[ghosthunter]

if they push through with the new retirement age of 60 years old for female FAs... I dont want the FAs in my flight to be older than my mom!!!

Baka sumakit pa yung mga arthritis kasi sobrang lamig ng aircon.

[andywesteast]

Mga Old FA's sa PAL may attitude kasi, they get simangot when you ask them to do things. Not like the young FA's ganado pa to please.

Try flying Singapore Airlines and find out.

[chua_riwap]

Mga Old FA's sa PAL may attitude kasi, they get simangot when you ask them to do things. Not like the young FA's ganado pa to please.

Try flying Singapore Airlines and find out.

He-he! Agree! Sa PAL kung sino pa yung mga matronics na, yun pa mga suplada, at madaling mainis sa mga passengers.........

Sa SQ naman, kahit pagod na.....smile pa rin sila. At walang damatans.

[jimnyeatworld]

nun nasa Air and Space Museum ako sa Washington D.C. napunta ako sa isang exhibit
sa history of commercial flight, grabeh mga flight stewards noon araw circa 50's and 60's some where wearing skimpy shorts and ***y dresses yun tipong mga girls ni James Bond Sean Connery ang itsura nila ...

bakit ngaun puro damatans na tapos ang FA is for safety. di ba dapat pag safety pilot yun saka mga baklang steward. pero pag female na FA's dapat marketable

[chua_riwap]

Here's the real score on PAL FAs salaries........



http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/...ight-attendant

PAL vs FASAP: What's the salary of a flight attendant?


MANILA, Philippines - What is the salary of a Philippine Air Lines (PAL) flight attendant?

If you ask PAL management, the flag carrier's cabin crew are well paid and get the "best benefits that are the envy of other Filipino workers."

"FASAP (Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines) claims their basic pay is below the government set minimum wage, but this is just a portion of their salary. The truth is they receive much, much more," Cielo Villaluna, PAL spokesperson, said in a statement.

Villaluna said that contrary to FASAP's claims that its members only receive a basic salary of P8,605 a month, she said the actual pay ranges from P33,000 to P75,000.

She said a domestic cabin attendant gets P34,619 to 37,619 a month, including productivity pay, transportation allowance and rice allocation.

An international cabin attendant receives P50,741 to P60,136, while a flight purser gets P67,880 to P73,570.

While the amounts may be lower compared to those being provided by international carriers, she said the flight attendants' salaries are still higher by Philippine standards.

Other perks

Villaluna also denied the FASAP's claims that they are not only underpaid but overworked as well.

In the statement, PAL provided details of the perks and pay of its cabin crew.

· additional pay for every hour in excess of their tour of duty ($50 + $20 for international flights, P1,250 per hour for domestic)
· first-class hotel accommodation at domestic and international stations
· transportation allowance (or free pick-up from/to residence)
· free meals in flight and on ground
· crew shuttle to/from airport
. thermal clothing allowance (twice a year)
· shoe allowance – P1,200 for male, P800 for female (twice a year)
· uniform allowance – from P11,022 to P16,376 (every 18 months)
· suitcase – costs from P1,563 to P3,647 (replaced every 2 years)
· complete medical and dental coverage for cabin crew and their qualified dependents
· 13th & 14th month pay
· unused days off converted to cash
· unused sick leave converted to cash
· perfect attendance award – equivalent to one month pay + per diem
· retirement benefits – 1.5 month for every year of service.

The airline said that the cabin crew also receives per diem,
- when staying overnight at an international destination ($45-$70)
- when on a technical stop ($100)
- for every regional turnaround flight ($20)
- for every domestic flight (P185)

Villaluna challenged the FASAP to show proof that will belie these wages and benefits of its members from PAL.

Flight attendants get 30% less than minimum wage

A computation by an "expert" of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) disclosed this week shows that PAL flight attendants receive 30% less than the minimum wage.

The computation was presented during a failed meeting on Tuesday between PAL and FASAP. It was 1 of the sticking points that forced FASAP to issue anew strike threats.

Flight attendants have allegedly been receiving a monthly salary of P8,605, below the minimum wage, since 2004. The minimum wage then was at P300 or P9,125 monthly.

Today, the minimum wage stands at P404 or P12,288.33 monthly.

Based on the minutes of the meeting obtained by abs-cbnNEWS.com, the NCMB arrived at the computation based “on the prevailing minimum wage in the previous years covering 2000 to 2010, using the 365 factor as indicated in the PAL’s CBA [collective bargaining agreement].”

Mediation meetings bogged down on Tuesday, forcing the 1,600-strong FASAP to declare a strike.

On Saturday (Oct. 2), the FASAP said the "ball is now on PAL's hands."

"The last ditch efforts for conciliation on Tuesday is PAL's opportunity to come clean and address the clear discrimination against flight attendants. PAL should not wait for a strike or pass the buck to the DOLE secretary to correct its anti-labor and gender-biased policies.

"FASAP will keep its reasonable positions for Tuesday's final meeting at the DOLE," FASAP said. -- with a report from Ira Pedrasa, abs-cbnNEWS.com

[shadow]

sasayaw din kaya yun mga lola katulad nun sa Cebu pac?

[wowiesy]

Here's the real score on PAL FAs salaries........



http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/...ight-attendant

I am not a lawyer... therefore this is me just trying to interpret it with my limited lawyer knowledge.. but I'm also somehow experienced with labor relations...

contention dito i think is: is basic pay equivalent to minimum wage... i am not aware of any case or jurisprudence that rules on this issue... perhaps PAL can file a case with the SC and let it rule (in 20 years' time?) ..

the practical side is that minimum wage is inclusive of all pay... kaya nga minimum.. hindi dapat bababa sa ganung level... but in this conflict... ipinalalabas ng FASAP that minimum wage is equivalent to basic pay, therefore kung yun ang basehan, they can make a case na below minimum wage nga talaga...

overall, i think this is a strategy of the union... malaki ang chance nila on this issue... even the DOLE / NCMB made up a computation basing only on basic pay (because yun ang convention, basic pay = minimum wage) since a lot of other companies only have basic pay... iilan lang yung aside from basic pay, marami pang ibang items that make up total take home pay...

on the issue of retirement age... I've recently had the chance to travel to turkey, australia...dati sa US and Dubai... ... observation ko... most of the asia based airline, puro bata pa talaga ang mga flight attendants.. but on the western based airlines... may mga matataas ang edad... perhaps it reflects na ganun na rin kalakas ang union sa mga western based airlines kaya hindi na makaporma ang management nila to change the retirement age... sa asian based airlines, i will assume na walang unions kaya madali sa management magpatupad ng earlier retirement age...

but overall.. this is the difficulty when the prerogatives of management is very much intertwined with the welfare and interests of the employees or the union... difficult talaga to strike the balance...

[Stoner]

Ho, so there are that many allowances...

Can't they just shift the amounts/costing for some of these allowances/perks into the basic pay itself? Or is there some sort of agreement with the union that bars them from doing so?

As if PAL doesn't have enough problems already... pretty soon Asia's first will become one of Asia's fallen. Sayang ang prestige, sayang ang employment...

[Monseratto]

Mag declare na lang ng bankruptcy protection para ma de-unionize.

[tidus1203]

Yeah it might be worth the risk and go under bankruptcy protection to de-unionized and avoid unios once naka recover...

[CVT]

Another case na magandang pang-MBA study ito...

10.8K:lalala:

[shadow]

Lucio Tan should get out of PAL, it's a money pit fall ever since he acquired it.

I felt it was just an accommodation for Pres. Ramos when Tan bought PAL. that's when he was having problems with BIR.

regarding the perks, bonuses and salary of PAL's employees. napagusapan yan sa CBA agreement, kupal lang talaga mga employees nila, masyadong na baby.

ibenta na yan para ma retrench na lahat at pulutin sa kankungan mga matatandang FA

[Monseratto]

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...CategoryId=200

Air Philippines unveils expansion plan
(philstar.com) Updated September 30, 2010 04:30 PM Comments (0)


MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) – Lucio Tan-led Air Philippines, ranking the third in the Philippines, plans to open more new air routes by expanding its aircraft fleet to compete in the country's competitive aviation industry, the company said today.

Air Philippines CEO Cesar Chiong said the company planned to increase its Airbus A320 aircraft from just three to 18 by 2012 and add more domestic and regional routes.

The airline will fly to its first regional destination, Singapore, later this month, using its brand new 180-seater A320, which was delivered earlier this week.

"We're looking at destinations like the Republic of Korea, Bangkok and maybe Hong Kong," Chiong said.

Domestic routes like Vigan and Marinduque are also in the company's radar screen.

By the end of the year, Chiong said, the company expects to have six new A320s. Another six will arrive next year while the rest will come in 2012. Air Philippines' first two A320s given to it by sister company Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Aside from the three Airbus jets, Air Philippines also has eight turbo propeller planes used to fly on domestic routes.

A total of 250 million U.S. dollars will be spent for the lease of the new aircraft.

Chiong said the company preferred to acquire A320 jets, which are the same planes used by its sister PAL, to keep expenses down since a fleet with just one type of airline is easier and cheaper to maintain.

Air Philippines is already the country's third largest airline, behind Gokongwei-led Cebu Pacific and PAL, at the end of the first half of the year after carrying 676,686 passengers.

[Monseratto]

Union Buster ...

http://raissarobles.com/2010/08/03/w...ubled-airline/

PAL’s claim of being unable to afford better pay for its personnel because it is not that profitable is all baloney. The reason why it is not that profitable is that in 1998 and 1999 Lucio Tan peeled away PAL’s “non-core” but very profitable units that did in-flight catering, groundhandling and aircraft maintenance not only for PAL but for foreign airlines as well.

With the Estrada government’s cooperation, these PAL services were allowed to be spun off to companies fully-owned or partly-owned by Lucio Tan. In the process, Lucio Tan got rid of those troublesome unionists.

In the last 11 years, in-flight catering, ground handling and aircraft maintenance were all consolidated by Lucio Tan under his company called MacroAsia Corporation or MAC. Last year, MacroAsia earned a record one billion pesos in operating revenues.

Contrast that to PAL Holdings, Inc, owner of PAL. Its consolidated revenues last year were a measly 51.2 million pesos.

[boybi]

From PAL's facebook post:

PAL submits FASAP case for arbitration
by Philippine Airlines on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 5:07pm

Failing to amicably resolve its differences with its cabin crew union, the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) today (05 October 2010) said it would submit the case for arbitration to the office of the secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said FASAP flatly rejected PAL’s proposal to increase salaries and rice allowances by P105-million, expanded pregnancy-related benefits and increased retirement age to 45 years old.

“With no agreement reached during today’s conciliation meeting, PAL manifested willingness to submit the case for arbitration. This will enable parties to submit their respective positions to the labor secretary who will then decide the case on the merits,” Villaluna explained.

FASAP posed no objection to PAL’s manifestation but both parties agreed that any intervention by the labor secretary would be “through an assumption of jurisdiction.” With an assumption order, parties are enjoined from performing any act that will exacerbate the situation such as a strike or lockout.

Issues for arbitration include the economic package, retirement age (anchored on mixed-crew complement) and pregnancy-related issues.

Villaluna said any work stoppage aimed at paralyzing PAL's operations will have negative effects not just on the airline's finances but also on the country's domestic and international trade and tourism image.

PAL has been preparing contingency measures to cope with the effects of any possible labor strike.

“FASAP's insistence on its original demands and continued refusal to present any counter-offer to PAL's proposals prevented the talks from proceeding,” said Villaluna.

"It's give and take in any negotiation. It's very difficult to negotiate if the other party only wants things to go their way," she stressed.

She said PAL's P105-million offer should be viewed in the context of the company's huge financial losses in the last two years. PAL even agreed to increase the retirement age to 45 in exchange for allowing junior cabin crew to fly international together with their senior counterparts.

"Management has bent backwards to give part of FASAP's demands but they want nothing short of their original demands," added Villaluna.

Earlier, Secretary Baldoz declared that she would step in to avert FASAP's work stoppage. The labor secretary stressed that PAL's operations are imbued with national interest, hence the need to intervene in the dispute.

Siguradong hindi papayag mga damatans na FA dito.

[jimnyeatworld]

^ hmm... if oldies stewardess are still fighting for their rights sa discrimination case na yan. ano na lang lagi ang iisipin pag matanda na ang FA, matanda na din ang eroplano