International Unions Support CX Pilots Industrial Action

[Chris]

Various union leaders from other airline unions have been visiting Hong Kong to lend their support. The current visitor to Hong Kong is the IFALPA Vice President Professional Dennis Dolan. Previous visitors included Mike Donatelli, Chairman of the strike committee for Delta pilots; Capt Kevin Dillon from USALPA; and representatives from the Korean and Asiana pilots' union. The following is a quote from today's South China Morning Post:

A vice-president of the International Federation of Airline Pilots, Captain Dennis Dolan - a veteran of strike planning in the United States, South Korea and Germany - is visiting Hong Kong at the request of the union. He plans to raise safety concerns about Cathay's rostering practices, which he said were the worst he had come across, at a meeting with the Civil Aviation Department today.

...

The international federation had already instituted bans through its 95 member associations, representing more than 100,000 pilots, on taking jobs with Cathay or helping train pilots for the airline, he said.

If requested, the federation could arrange further measures to help the union, he said.


There have been press reports that the AOA's strategy is receiving advice from the Strike Committee of some US airlines. The AOA has no comment on this matter.

Be in no doubt that the IFALPA recruitment ban is in force. Whether you agree with it or not is irrelevant right now. You have at least been informed, so you should not be surprised at the consequences should you break this ban. The original thread, which includes a copy of the recruitment ban, is here: http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi? ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=001859 (http://www.pprune.org/cgibin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=001859) . The IFALPA page is at www.globalpilot.org (http://www.globalpilot.org) . There will be further information shortly in various international avaition journals.

Could I remind CX pilots that we are still requesting that you continue to avoid posting on this site; rather use the CX closed forum. I expect the usual anti-pilot response to this letter, but please don't bite. Thanks.

[ 14 August 2001: Message edited by: Chris ]

[ironbutt57]

Once again Chris....are union members refusing to train all pilots...such as cx pilots that might recieve a command? No rationale or excuses...yes or no?

[Flat Side Up]

Ironbutt,
You and several others including myself have asked this question. Obviously we are not going to get a direct truthful answer to it. Generally it is avoided by abuse, ridicule and threats especially to those at the lower end of the food chain who reside well below the exalted moral position of the CX pilots.
Their failure to give a definitive answer to the question leads one to believe that it is too painful to admit that they are indeed accepting upgrades.

[ 17 August 2001: Message edited by: Flat Side Up ]

[Chris]

IronButt57, I know you work here in Hong Kong in, let's just say, a senior position, so you already know the answer to your question. Here is the definitive answer:

Every sacked pilot will be reinstated in their former position with no loss of seniority. This is AOA policy. None will have their position taken by any internal or external promotion.

The current industrial campaign is for a gradual increase in pressure. Today there are 7 jets parked after (roughly) 7 weeks, and major delays affected more than 50% of flights. Not bad for the limited industrial action carried out so far, and the biggest indication that CX is short of, say, about 50 crew, which have obviously not been replaced. We are doing the fighting on our terms, and doing quite nicely. The recruitment ban is part of the international support being shown to us by other members worldwide.

Specific questions asking what our tactics are, or will be, cannot be answered on a public site. You will know what we are doing if you take the trouble to find out for yourself. Some plans are better implemented by word of mouth, because of the nature of working in Hong Kong (if you can't read between the lines here, you should find out about employment in communist China before you come for a job interview). They won't be posted on a public web site. We are also not going to broadcast our intentions or plans to CX. Lastly, CX pilots don't post here. So don't be troubled if such questions aren't being answered.

My heartfelt thanks to the Kendall (not sure of spelling) pilot who answered the question at a recent interview about the recruitment ban by saying he was quite happy at Kendalls and wouldn't defy the ban. No doubt there are others who've done the same that we don't know about. We have several friends in the recruitment department who are making sure that all interviewees are fully aware of the IFALPA recruitment ban.

[ 17 August 2001: Message edited by: Chris ]

[St_Paul_Island]

bttt

[Chris]

From Flight International Appointments pages:
Cathay Pacific Airways Recruitment Ban

During the present industrial dispute at Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., IFALPA has placed a Recruitment Ban on Cathay Pacific Airways, Veta Ltd and USAB Ltd. This is in direct response to the dismissal of 52 pilots by Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.
IFALPA professional pilots are reminded that they should not accept offers of employment with any of these or related companies whilst the Recruitment Ban is in force.

Please contact either IFALPA or HKAOA should you have any questions relating to this issue.

Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association,
5/F Daily House, 35-37 Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
Tel: +852 2736 0823 Fax: +852 2736 0903 Website: bbs.hkalpa.org