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Is the Open-Skies Policy the Answer to Lucio Tan’s Anti-Worker Schemes? Published on September 11, 2010

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Is the Open-Skies Policy the Answer to Lucio Tan’s Anti-Worker Schemes?

Published on September 11, 2010



In the short-term, this may close the gap in air transport service that a strike in the Philippine flag carrier would create, but at the expense of sabotaging the demands of Filipino workers.

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — In response to the notice of strike filed by the Philippine Air Lines’ 1,600-strong flight attendants union on Sept 9, President Benigno Aquino renewed his threat to further liberalize air transport in the Philippines via an open skies policy. Presenting the policy like a threat to both PAL management and labor, Aquino has tasked his cabinet to study the possibility of implementing this form of liberalization of air transport since last month, when two dozen PAL pilots started resigning to protest salary cuts and contractualization. Aquino now told reporters he would ask the cabinet to “fast-track” the inquiry into implementing an open skies policy.

“If the row (between PAL management and employees) already causes disruption of PAL’s operations, the DOTC will come in and implement the open skies policy,” said the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) spokesman Dante Velasco in a GMA.news.tv report. That is, despite his worrying that a lot still needs to be done to implement the policy, for instance the need to follow the Constitutional requirement of “reciprocity.”

But will the open-skies policy be a real help in solving the labor unrest in PAL? Will it truly benefit the riding public?


A PAL flight attendant asserts that the right to strike is guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution.(Photo courtesy of fasap.net / bulatlat.com)
Aquino’s Bias for Foreign Capital, at the Expense of Filipino Workers and Riding Public

An open-skies policy will deregulate air traffic and allow more airlines to service all international and domestic routes in the country. Implementing it means the government, through its air traffic regulators, will grant service and landing rights to airlines whose governments do not allow Philippine flag carriers to service their countries..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/09/11/is-the-open-skies-policy-the-answer-to-lucio-tan%E2%80%99s-anti-worker-schemes/

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