whodunnit2
18th Dec 2007, 08:57
I bumped into this whilst looking through the stock market news:
HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--The flight attendants union of Cathay Pacific Airways
Ltd. (0293.HK) said late Monday it will stage a second protest Thursday
against a proposed change in medical benefits that requires the company's Hong
Kong-based employees to make copayments for doctor visits.
The decision by the Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union to hold the
sit-in comes despite concessions by Cathay Pacific management over the weekend.
Cathay Pacific said it will adjust the scheme to allow 10 free doctor visits a
year for its 10,000 Hong Kong-based staff and their dependents before
requiring copayments. The new medical scheme takes effect Jan. 1.
'In view of public anxiety about possible disruption to their year-end travel
plans...the company had no choice but to announce the new arrangements,'
Cathay Pacific said Monday.
Members of the union have threatened further action if the company fails to
adequately address its demands of eliminating the copay element in the medical
scheme.
Last week, several hundred Cathay Pacific flight attendants marched in downtown
Hong Kong to protest against the new policy.
But the airline's latest efforts to assuage those demands haven't been
well-received.
'Our team felt that (the) management's effort was merely to pressure us to
accept some proposals in order to remove the threat of any drastic actions as
suggested by members,' the union said in a statement.
Drastic action as suggested by union members include the threat of a strike
over the busy Christmas holiday period. The union couldn't be reached for
comment Tuesday.
Cathay Pacific has said the new plan will give employees more coverage benefits
including higher limits. The plan will also increase the company's medical
expenditure by 10% next year, it said.
As part of its copay requirement, junior employees must pay HK$30 to see a
doctor and HK$50 for a specialist. Senior staff would pay HK$50 for
consultations with a doctor, and HK$100 to see a specialist.
The airline's flight attendants last held a major strike in January 1993. The
17-day strike due to a pay dispute involved about 90% of the union's members
at the time.
HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--The flight attendants union of Cathay Pacific Airways
Ltd. (0293.HK) said late Monday it will stage a second protest Thursday
against a proposed change in medical benefits that requires the company's Hong
Kong-based employees to make copayments for doctor visits.
The decision by the Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union to hold the
sit-in comes despite concessions by Cathay Pacific management over the weekend.
Cathay Pacific said it will adjust the scheme to allow 10 free doctor visits a
year for its 10,000 Hong Kong-based staff and their dependents before
requiring copayments. The new medical scheme takes effect Jan. 1.
'In view of public anxiety about possible disruption to their year-end travel
plans...the company had no choice but to announce the new arrangements,'
Cathay Pacific said Monday.
Members of the union have threatened further action if the company fails to
adequately address its demands of eliminating the copay element in the medical
scheme.
Last week, several hundred Cathay Pacific flight attendants marched in downtown
Hong Kong to protest against the new policy.
But the airline's latest efforts to assuage those demands haven't been
well-received.
'Our team felt that (the) management's effort was merely to pressure us to
accept some proposals in order to remove the threat of any drastic actions as
suggested by members,' the union said in a statement.
Drastic action as suggested by union members include the threat of a strike
over the busy Christmas holiday period. The union couldn't be reached for
comment Tuesday.
Cathay Pacific has said the new plan will give employees more coverage benefits
including higher limits. The plan will also increase the company's medical
expenditure by 10% next year, it said.
As part of its copay requirement, junior employees must pay HK$30 to see a
doctor and HK$50 for a specialist. Senior staff would pay HK$50 for
consultations with a doctor, and HK$100 to see a specialist.
The airline's flight attendants last held a major strike in January 1993. The
17-day strike due to a pay dispute involved about 90% of the union's members
at the time.