Pal says Palace meet is on ‘spin-off’ dispute, not new CBA

MANILA, Philippines –  Philippine Airlines (PAL) said yesterday scheduled meeting between the airline management and its ground crew union at Malacañang tomorrow is part of the Palace dispute resolution mechanism and not a negotiation for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

“The PAL Employees Association can interpret the Palace-initiated talks anyway it wants, but PAL management is not going there to discuss any CBA,” PAL president Jaime Bautista said.

He explained that the pending legal issues before Malacañang are: whether the Office of the President can re-assume jurisdiction over the spin off issue which was twice recognized by the Department of Labor and Employment as a valid exercise of management prerogative; and PALEA’s appeal to reverse the said DOLE ruling allowing such spin off.

Bautista said that as clearly stated in the Palace order, the purpose of tomorrow’s conference is to explore avenues toward an amicable settlement of the labor dispute, and/or to elicit facts and information.

“The labor dispute adverted to in the order is PALEA’s pending petition for intervention and not the union’s request for commencement of the CBA negotiation,” he stressed.

While it’s true that he told PALEA leaders to submit their proposed panel members in preparation for a CBA negotiation, Bautista said this would not push through until after Malacañang has ruled on all pending issues. –(The Philippine Star)