Cathay pilot says sacking was unfair
A FORMER senior captain with Cathay Pacific is set to argue his claim of unfair dismissal against the airline in the Labour Tribunal. Val McCarthy, 54, was sacked in January after 21 years with the company. He had been due to retire in October, and will need to return from Britain to appear before the hearing.
The case was first taken to the tribunal in mid-April but had been adjourned. Mr McCarthy claims his dismissal was related to a dispute over his contract and money the airline claimed he owed it.
Yesterday, the tribunal's presiding officer, Tong Man, adjourned the case to August 30, because the airline said it had to discuss the facts of the sacking with the pilot.
Mr McCarthy says the row dates back to early last year when he accepted a five per cent salary increase. At the time, an industrial dispute by Cathay staff seeking better pay was headline news.
The airline eventually sent cockpit crews new contracts containing an eight per cent pay rise, but stipulating increased productivity.
As Mr McCarthy and about 45 others insisted on keeping their old contracts, they were told to pay back the five per cent pay rise, taken from the beginning of the year, he says.
Several members of staff reportedly refused for months, though all but Mr McCarthy later gave in.
The airline denied any relation between the dispute and the captain's dismissal.