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Philippine Airlines cabin crews file strike notice
Philippine Airlines' cabin staff on Thursday formally advised the government they would go on strike at the end of October, saying the move would ground all flights by the loss-making flag carrier.
Philippine Airlines' cabin staff on Thursday formally advised the government they would go on strike at the end of October, saying the move would ground all flights by the loss-making flag carrier.
The 1,600-member cabin crew union said it had filed a strike notice with the labour ministry, which by law has 30 days to try to find a compromise between the airline and employees to prevent a shut-down.
"Once we go on strike, no flight will take off," said Bob Anduiza, president of the Flight Attendants Association of the Philippines.
"This will ground PAL's entire operations," he told a news conference.
PAL spokeswoman Cielo Villaluna appealed to the union to reconsider and return to the negotiating table.
"This will affect Philippine tourism and our financial position," Villaluna said in a radio interview.
The cabin staff are seeking a raise that would put their pay on par with that offered by foreign carriers. They are also demanding paid maternity leave and an end to a company policy that forces female attendants to retire at the age of 40.
There was no immediate comment from the labour department.
The planned strike is the latest in a string of labour problems to hit the national flag-carrier. Last month, 25 pilots and first officers of PAL's short-haul aircraft suddenly quit for higher paying jobs abroad, forcing the abrupt cancellation of several flights.
