TOKYO, Japan - President Benigno Aquino III said there are "promising signs" in the ongoing labor dispute at the Philippines Airlines, shortly after Malacañang acted as a "bridge" between the warring parties.
Interviewed here after he flew in for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting, Aquino said he has heeded the call to intervene in the labor dispute that could see about 2,600 rank and file airline employees losing their jobs.
"We've been preparing for it. In fact, one of the last meetings I had for this week was to talk to several individuals to include representatives from labor sector and PAL management trying to get them closer to negotiated settlement and ease the fears of both parties. So I expect some word on it by tomorrow but the signs are promising," the President said.
"We're like the bridge. We're trying to be a bridge and so far there are so many promising signs and I have to wait as to how far they have gone and see what acceptance has been by both parties," he added.
Aquino also said Malacañang began "preemptive talks" after Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz allowed PAL to proceed with the lay-off of employees affected by the spin-off of some PAL operations.
"When we had the meeting, I understand we have not yet received the appeal for the review of the decision of Secretary Baldoz. So it was a preemptive meeting even before we got and had the notice," he said.
Earlier, Malacañang said they will not get involved in the labor row, which is now under the jurisdication of the labor department.
Members of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) who are ground crew employees of the airline earlier filed a second notice of strike after the labor department upheld PAL’s plan to allow third party service providers to take over its airport services, in-flight catering and call center reservations.
PALEA has been staging street protests as the issue, which started early this year, persisted. They had asked Baldoz to resign.
The Lucio Tan-led airline has a separate labor issue with another labor union, the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP), which cited discrimination as ground for considering a strike.
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