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At least 2,600 Philippine Airlines (PAL) catering, calls center reservation, and ground handling service departments employees were fired today to cut costs.  PAL, the national flag carrier of the country and the oldest airline in Asia, claimed that this is the only solution to the current status of the company. PAL also assured the riding public that the same fine services can be expected from the airline as replacement workers are already deployed.

 

Although the airline ensured that their former employees were well-provided during the separation, most were not satisfied with the company’s decision. In fact, the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (Palea) are urging Tourism Congress to do an inquiry about passenger safety issues after ‘untrained’ contract workers were put into crucial positions of laid off personnel.

 

To date, labor dispute against PAL is still on-going.  Supporters from Church Labor Conference (CLC), Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, and Partido ng Manggagawa have also expressed their take on the situation. They call for “a just and equitable resolution”.