Lower retirement age for PAL female flight crew not valid, declares top court

The Philippine Supreme Court has declared as unconstitutional an agreement between Philippine Airlines Inc and an employees’ union that set a lower retirement age for female cabin attendants. The agreement "was deemed void for lack of basis, discriminating against women, and being contrary to laws, international convention, and public policy,” the nation’s top court said in a statement on its website Thursday, citing a decision it made on Jan. 10. A PAL spokesperson didn’t immediately reply to queries seeking comments. The mandatory retirement age for female flight attendants is 55, while their male counterparts is 60, based on the collective bargaining agreement between the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines and the flag carrier owned by billionaire Lucio Tan. The top court said it found merit in a petition filed by PAL female cabin crew in 2019, upholding the "fundamental equality of women and men” as guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution.<br/>