Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines on Wednesday warned that a long-drawn conflict between the management and employees of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on the issue of salaries and other benefits will paint a negative picture of the country’s aviation industry.
“It is important to protect the Philippines’ return to Category 1 status, a reflection of the country’s compliance to international safety standards set by International Civil Aviation Organization. Any perception of disunity in the civil aviation sector may affect the status the country has earned,” said PAL President and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista.
The CAAP employees held a nationwide protest and asked President Benigno Aquino III to overrule the disallowance of bonuses and salary increases they have already received.
The labor union is peacefully protesting the recent suspension of their salary increases and bonuses, specifically for technical staff. Streamers are now up on 23 air control towers all over the country bearing the distress call “Mayday Mayday”.
Bautista said PAL is calling for a peaceful and immediate resolution to the brewing labor unrest among CAAP members.
“We are hoping for a swift and acceptable solution to the ongoing labor issues within the ranks of the CAAP. We express optimism that a resolution will be reached in due time. We are glad to note that technical personnel such as air traffic controllers continue to carry out their duties,” he said.
Last Friday, air traffic controllers and employees simultaneously unfurled black banners saying, “Mayday! Mayday!” from all the towers in the country’s CAAP-controlled airports as a distress call.
The workers asked the President to step in and stop the brain drain, triggered by poor compensation, at CAAP
CAAP has 81 airports nationwide, 44 of them handling commercial operations
There are about 3,500 regular workers, most of whom are technical personnel involved in air traffic management.
CAAP Employees’ Union president Valiant Sucion who led protesting employees at the entrance gate of the agency’s main office in Pasay City said: “We are not asking for more than we deserve. We are demoralized because after working so hard to achieve the President’s marching orders, the GCG [Governance Commission on Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations] disapproves the CAAP’s present salary structure and bonuses.”
The President’s marching orders to the CAAP were to remove the significant safety concerns of the International Civil Aviation Organization; lift the European Union’s ban on Philippine carriers; and reinstate Philippine civil aviation’s category 1 rating of US FAA.
With these accomplished, the CAAP board granted bonuses and salary increases to boost the employees’ morale and recognize their dedication and competence.
But on May 2015, the Commission on Audit and the GCG disallowed salary increases and bonuses of nearly P1 billion already given to CAAP employees since 2012.
The CoA and GCG disapproved the salary increases from P10, 000 to P14, 000 for 1,775 technical posts which were previously given by the CAAP board since October, 2012 as well as six months worth of bonuses given in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
“Many of our colleagues have already left to work abroad because the pay is better overseas, The CAAP may run out of technical personnel because of the compensation,” he added, saying that most of the former CAAP technical workers are already air traffic officials in the Middle East where salaries are commensurate to their expertise.