- Title: PHILIPPINES: EMPLOYEES OF PHILIPPINE AIRLINES VOTE TO RESTART THE COMPANY.
- Date: 2nd October 1998
- Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (OCTOBER 1/2, 1998) (OCTOBER 1, 1998) 1. GV/MV: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (PAL) STAFF LINING UP TO VOTE/ VOTING (3 SHOTS) 0.18 (OCTOBER 2, 1998) 2. GV: GOVERNMENT LABOUR REPRESENTATIVES TALLYING VOTES (2 SHOTS) 0.37 3. SCU: JOURNALISTS 0.43 4. TV/CU/GV/PAN: LABOUR OFFICIAL WRITING RESULTS ON BOARD IN FAVOUR OF "YES"/ WIDE OF TALLY BOARD (3 SHOTS) 1.13 5. CU: LABOUR OFFICIAL JULIO VENTURA MAGSALI SAYING "THE RESULTS ARE FOR YES THERE ARE 3254 VOTES, FOR "NO" 1,794, SPOILED 106, SEGREGRATED BALLOTS 170". THERE ARE 5,309 WHO CASTED VOTES OUT OF 6529 QUALIFIED VOTERS, THAT'S 81 PERCENT" (ENGLISH) 1.42 MANILA, PHILIPPINES (SEPTEMBER 23, 1998) 6. GV: DESERTED PHILIPPINE AIRLINE TERMINAL 1.45 7. GV: STAFF WAVING 1.52 8. GV/TILT: LAST DOMESTIC FLIGHT BEFORE STRIKE TAKES OFF 2.13 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 17th October 1998 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
- City:
- Country: Phillippines
- Reuters ID: LVA3WDBE5NNPM78ID7OC0J69HBQV
- Story Text: Employees of Philippine Airlines Inc (PAL) have voted to revive Asia's oldest airline, paving the way for the re-opening of its domestic operations next week and ending the country's worst aviation crisis, officials said on Friday.
PAL management said it would start selling tickets on Saturday (October 3) in preparation for the resumption of domestic flights on October 7 even before the final result of the voting was announced by the Labour department.
Avelino Zapanta, PAL vice-president for sales told reporters their sales agents will start selling tickets tomorrow morning.
The Department of Labour said the final results of a two-day referendum showed 3,254 union members voted "yes" while 1,794 voted "no" to the management offer: 20 percent equity in the airline in return for a 10-year freeze on labour hagglings.
"There was a good turn-out.It was peaceful, orderly and many participated in the referendum," Labour Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma told reporters.
PAL Employees Association (PALEA), the airline's biggest union comprising over 6,000 workers, had rejected the management offer last week but President Joseph Estrada persuaded the workers to hold another vote, saying the closure of the airline would worsen the country's economic problems.
Even those who voted "no" to PAL chairman Lucio Tan's offer are happy PAL will be flying again.
PAL said it will prepare shortly to resume flights on 14 domestic routes using 13 aircraft on October 7.
Zapanta said PAL will open its ticket offices at the Manila domestic airport on Saturday and would mobilise its people to prepare the firm's ground equipment, offices and warehouses.
PAL, with debts of over $2.0 billion, shut down on September 23 due to enormous losses and a protracted labour dispute.
The closure of PAL forced the government to enter into a temporary lease agreement with Hong Kong' Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd to fly domestic routes this week to keep air travel in the country moving.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
