Lawmakers ask PAL workers to call off strike

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the House committee on tourism appealed to disgruntled employees of Philippine Airlines (PAL) yesterday to call off their planned strike, saying the move could spell the collapse of the local tourism industry.

Representatives Florencio T. Miraflores of Aklan and Alfredo Benitez of Negros Occidental said a work stoppage in the country’s flag carrier is the last thing the tourism industry needs as it reels from the adverse impact of the tragic Manila hostage incident that resulted in the death of eight Hong Kong tourists.

They called on PAL management and the protesting workers to continue negotiations to settle their dispute, saying that resorting to drastic measures such as a strike will be “counter productive.”

Miraflores, committee chairman, said he expects government to intervene should the labor problem worsen and imperil the country’s economy and international reputation.

“At this point, a PAL strike will only exacerbate the situation and scare more foreign tourists. They should not aggravate the problem. It’s hurting us already,” he said.

He confirmed reports that resort and hotel owners in the country, especially in Boracay which is part of his congressional district, are feeling the brunt of the hostage crisis.

“Chinese tourists have started to shy away from our resorts because they obey whatever their government says. We have to work very hard to convince China to lift the travel advisory against Philippines,” he said.

Benitez, a member of the tourism committee, supported Miraflores’ view, saying the Department of Tourism should launch aggressive promotional campaigns to resuscitate the ailing tourism industry.

He said a strike that would cripple international travel is a major setback to government’s efforts to lure back tourists.

“Our country needs all the help it can get, especially from its citizens. PAL and its employees should put on hold any action that will hamper flight operations,” he said.

The Flight Attendants’ and Stewards’ Association of the Philippines (FASAP) has been threatening to file a notice of strike for the past several weeks after rejecting PAL’s offered P80-million compensation package.

On the part of PAL, the airline insists that it could not offer more than P80-million due to its current financial difficulties, which are also being experienced by other airlines in the world.

The PAL Employees’ Association (PALEA), PAL’s rank and file union, is also threatening to stage a strike if the Department of Labor sustains its earlier ruling recognizing PAL management’s prerogative to “spin-off” three of the airline’s non-core units.