SCMP 19 May

[mole]

Cathay pilots poised to disrupt summer flights

EXCLUSIVE by JO BOWMAN

Cathay Pacific pilots are poised to take industrial action which they say could disrupt summer flights in a way that eclipses the chaos resulting from their pay dispute with management two years ago.
Long-running talks over crew rosters have collapsed and the pilots' union, which represents about 1,200 of the airline's 1,500 pilots, has told its members they have no choice but to force Cathay's hand.

It says the company is now offering roster practices that are worse than those already in place, which pilots say mean frequent last-minute shift changes and leave them unable to plan time with their families.

Cathay said yesterday the union had walked out of negotiations despite the company's "generous" offers, adding it hoped talks could resume and a settlement be reached. But it could not guarantee that travellers with tickets for July would get their flights.

Union memos to members obtained by the South China Morning Post say crew will vote on "limited industrial action" on June 20; the action would begin on July 1 and run indefinitely. The summer months are the busiest time of the year for Cathay flights, with between 130 and 150 scheduled flights in and out of Hong Kong daily.

Asked how the impact on passengers would compare with the 1999 dispute - which led to about 1,000 flights being cancelled after pilots called in sick en masse - a senior pilot said: "It's going to be worse than that. This is a serious dispute we're about to enter into. We expect it to get dirty."

Exactly what tactics will be employed are yet to be spelled out to pilots, but they are believed to include a go-slow, which involves crew conducting safety checks repeatedly in an attempt to make flights late. Pilots are also expected to agree that only captains will land planes. They usually take turns with junior first officers so they can meet minimum requirements to remain qualified.

The source said that if no first officers did landings, it would take a couple of weeks for them all to be disqualified from flying, leaving Cathay with a huge crew shortage. It is also understood that pilots will stop reporting for work earlier than the required 80 minutes before departure.

In his memo to crew, union president Nigel Demery said strike action was still a possibility but he believed the "limited" action would be enough to make Cathay agree to union demands.

Cathay spokeswoman Rosita Ng Lai-ting said yesterday: "We're very disappointed we've not been able to make an agreement with the Aircrew Officers' Association. We remain committed to the negotiations and we're hopeful that a resolution can still be reached."

She said Cathay had made many "generous" proposals, but the union had refused them.

Aircrew Officers' Association general secretary John Findlay was unavailable for comment.

[realitycx]

SCMP

Saturday, May 19, 2001

EDITORIAL
Flying into trouble

Summer approaches. Time for the Dragon Boat festival, the schools to break up, families to fly out on holiday, and for industrial action by Cathay Pacific pilots.
The monotony of this annual ritual by Cathay pilots or aircrew is alleviated only by the form of action chosen. Working to rule, calling in sick, going slow, refusing to smile at passengers - there seems to be no lack of ways to inconvenience travellers and challenge the management.

Confrontation between the two has such a long history that the first seeds of discord are lost in the mists of time. But there has been little peace in the company since a strike by the Flight Attendants Union in 1993. During the Asian financial crisis Cathay lost $542 million, recording a loss for the first time in its 35-year existence. During the same period there was trouble over attempts to cut salaries and compensate pilots with stock options, plus a management attempt to change the terms of pilots' contracts, and to sack those who refused to agree.

A confrontational attitude appears to be the main negotiating tactic on both sides. Or so it looks to outsiders. It is impossible to tell which party is the most at fault, but there must be some reason why Hong Kong's flag-carrier has so many work-related problems. It is certainly not because of poor working conditions or low wages for pilots. While it is true that they are less pampered than in the past, they remain among the best paid in the industry.

It would be optimistic to hope that these disputes can be settled quickly, but a solution may be more likely if the intervention of a third party is accepted. The Labour Department has stepped in to knock heads together in the past. This time the Cathay management has refused to consider a mediator, so no doubt the two sides will go up to the line again, with all the uncertainty that imposes on the travelling public - and the subsequent loss of business as passengers book with rival airlines.

Another damaging dispute can still be avoided, if there is a willingness for compromise.

Constant in-fighting is bad for the status of the company and the image of its staff. And it does little to fly the flag for Hong Kong

[Rice Pudding]

So it finally made the press. Interesting to note that it was not the company that made the press release this time. They have been trying to keep it quiet as long as possible to minimise damage.

Management are obviously concerned. They have offered cabin crew leave without pay for the month of July. Priority will be given to those who take the whole month off. That is going to be costly. Most cabin crew who opt for the scheme will be unable to make firm holiday plans. If the pilots turn up to work the company will cancel the cabin crews' leave at short notice.

Hong Kongs' flagship carrier is about to get an image change. One can't help thinking this is not the best timing considering Beijings' bid for the 2008 Olympics.

[The Resistance]

To Jo Bowman. Jo, you say that the dispute is 'certainly not due to working conditions or pay'. I must correct you. It is nearly ENTIRELY due to working conditions. To be more specific, our working conditions are almost intolerable, with no stability to our rosters. Some of us have only 5 days a month where we have even a 'reasonable' expectation of being able to plan an evening with friends and family. We show up for a 2 day trip to Tokyo, and instead get sent off on a 6 day trip to Europe. We have our leave cancelled,...etc,etc. As for being amongst the best paid in the industry. Not even close. Please do all parties in this dispute a favour and refrain from quoting old and tired cliches about our profession. There are real and compelling reasons why we are forced to plan this serious industrial action, and it would be nice (but not expected) to see it fairly portrayed in the press. I think if you were aware of how contemptuous of the press our management is, you would make the effort to not be 'used' by their Corporate Communications Department. A visit to Mr. John Findlay, or Mr. Nigel Demerey at the AOA would help clear up a lot of the mis-conceptions. Are you willing to blow open the terrible mis-management and the resulting deterioration of safety that CX management is responsible for. There is your real story.

[Iago]

The planned industrial action may well play into management hands. With the busiest time of the year approaching, and a lot of crew on maximum hours, plus the shortage of crew, the company may not be able to crew the required flights anyway. Industrial action would get them neatly off the hook.

Quite a few year ago Ansett F/A's went on strike, Bob Ansett offered some good deals on air freight, and filled the aircraft with parcels rather then people. It all looked like it would come unstuck when the F/A's called off their industrial action early and Bob still had a couple of days air freight to shift. So he goes on television and calls them "a bunch of old broilers", the F/A's oblige with another two days on strike, and Bob was able to clear the backlog of freight.

Be wary of management manipulation. Good luck with your action.

[411A]

Looks like CX management has the upper hand in the media at the moment. With so many pax going on vacation, they will NOT be happy with flight crew if their plans are disrupted
to any great degree. The pilots will look very foolish and self-centered. Nothing new in that respect.

[Flat Side Up]

Iago,
You have got the wrong Ansett!.
Bob Ansett never had any management role in Ansett. Sir REG ANSETT founded and ran the airline...and a magnificent one it was.

Sir Reg Ansett did negotiate in good faith and was able to reach a compromise before significant damage was done to the company or employees unlike the greedy asset stripping usurpers who supplanted him.

Correct facts would add to the credibility of the rest of your post which, I am afraid, is inaccurate. However this is a RUMOUR network.

[Rice Pudding]

I bet they wish they had the upper hand with positioning the cathay careers advertisement underneath the article. Could't have put it in a more embarassing place if I had done it myself !!