CATHAY PATHETIC
16th May 2001, 21:21
The HKAOA announced today that all rostering negotiations with the company have been suspended. A vote for limited industrial action will take place on the 20th of June and industrial action will begin on the 1st of July.
Industrial action will be initially in the form of work to rule, essentially a go slow. This will be followed by increasing pressure in the form of tactics not yet released by the union. However, guerrilla tactics are rumoured to be the strategy. An all out strike is considered too damaging to the company. As the president of the pilot union said 'we dont want to harm the company, just get the management back to addressing our concerns of rostering, remuneration and benefits.'
Management have now been delaying a rostering agreement for five years and refuse to talk to the union regarding remuneration and benefits. Senior pilots receive another pay cut this July 1st, in a year when Cathay Pathetic made record profits.
Contract compliance will remain in force as a key foundation of industrial action. Pilots receive eight guaranteed days off per month and under contract compliance will not fly on those days.
Work to rule means pilots will operate to the rules of their contract. This involves following procedures to the letter, ensuring all checks are carried out methodically and without regard to on time performance, only safety. Aircraft will taxi more slowly, only captains will be allowed landings, flight plan shortening will not be accepted. There are many options available and the union encourages its members to express ideas that will increase safety while slowing down the operation.
Cathay Pathetic is desparately undermanned and these measure will only increase massive delays and cancellations.
Pilots expect to receive another contract soon, delivered to their door, offering new
conditions of employment. The company are probably going to offer pilots the choice of accepting the new terms or they will be fired. This was used successfully in 1999 when senior pilots were forced to take 3 years of pay cuts or lose their jobs.
Unions leaders also expect a small number of pilots to be sacked for trivial issues to incite fear amoung the workforce. The CEO recently fired a captain who threw peanuts at him in a bar. The union has pledged to continue paying the salaries of those who are fired for minor issues and will not accept any package that does not involve the reinstatement of those pilots.
The government is expected to mediate throughout the process. Officials are tired of Cathay management intimidating staff and inciting pilots to take industrial action. The government knows Cathay is an outstanding airline and does not want to see the image of Hong Kong tarnished because of a group of British managers who still rule like colonial princes.
[This message has been edited by CATHAY PATHETIC (edited 16 May 2001).]
Industrial action will be initially in the form of work to rule, essentially a go slow. This will be followed by increasing pressure in the form of tactics not yet released by the union. However, guerrilla tactics are rumoured to be the strategy. An all out strike is considered too damaging to the company. As the president of the pilot union said 'we dont want to harm the company, just get the management back to addressing our concerns of rostering, remuneration and benefits.'
Management have now been delaying a rostering agreement for five years and refuse to talk to the union regarding remuneration and benefits. Senior pilots receive another pay cut this July 1st, in a year when Cathay Pathetic made record profits.
Contract compliance will remain in force as a key foundation of industrial action. Pilots receive eight guaranteed days off per month and under contract compliance will not fly on those days.
Work to rule means pilots will operate to the rules of their contract. This involves following procedures to the letter, ensuring all checks are carried out methodically and without regard to on time performance, only safety. Aircraft will taxi more slowly, only captains will be allowed landings, flight plan shortening will not be accepted. There are many options available and the union encourages its members to express ideas that will increase safety while slowing down the operation.
Cathay Pathetic is desparately undermanned and these measure will only increase massive delays and cancellations.
Pilots expect to receive another contract soon, delivered to their door, offering new
conditions of employment. The company are probably going to offer pilots the choice of accepting the new terms or they will be fired. This was used successfully in 1999 when senior pilots were forced to take 3 years of pay cuts or lose their jobs.
Unions leaders also expect a small number of pilots to be sacked for trivial issues to incite fear amoung the workforce. The CEO recently fired a captain who threw peanuts at him in a bar. The union has pledged to continue paying the salaries of those who are fired for minor issues and will not accept any package that does not involve the reinstatement of those pilots.
The government is expected to mediate throughout the process. Officials are tired of Cathay management intimidating staff and inciting pilots to take industrial action. The government knows Cathay is an outstanding airline and does not want to see the image of Hong Kong tarnished because of a group of British managers who still rule like colonial princes.
[This message has been edited by CATHAY PATHETIC (edited 16 May 2001).]