Cathay Pacific flight attendants plan August strike

[Avinthenews]

Now how quickly will CX respond to this....

Cathay Pacific flight attendants are stepping up their industrial action to protest cuts in salaries and benefits for cabin staff, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported Wednesday.

They are planning a strike for the end of August after a 41-hour sit-in at the arrival hall of Hong Kong airport.

More than 600 members of the flight attendants’ union took part in the protest.

They were protesting a cut in some cabin crew allowances, pay discrepancies for junior staff renewing their contracts and loss of legal support for workers involved in court cases such as civil action stemming from a passenger assault.

The union has more than 6,300 members, or 70 percent of flight attendants.

The airline has cut its out-station allowance for Melbourne to A$35 (US$27.75) a day from A$60 but raised the hourly allowance for long-haul flights by HK$10 (US$1.29).

The Airport Authority urged both sides to resolve the dispute to avoid any flight disruptions.

The authority said a contingency plan is in place in case the action escalates and disrupts airport operations, a spokesman said.

[Avinthenews]

Apparently not long.

Cathay Pacific management has signalled it is willing to talk with protesting cabin crew members over pay demands following a mass sit-in that began at Chek Lap Kok airport yesterday.

“We are ready to talk with the [Flight Attendants’] Union (FAU),” chief executive Ivan Chu said.

The round-the-clock sit-in, launched by hundreds of flight attendants, will last until 10am tomorrow, with 1,300 members voting for action.

The FAU threatened to escalate their ongoing protest at the airport with work-to-rule action in August if the company does not meet their demands related to pay and benefits by the end of the sit-in.

In response, union chairwoman Dora Lai Yuk-sim said: “We welcome [Ivan Chu’s] direction to talk. It’s really up to management to show their sincerity and arrange to meet up.”

However, the union warned if talks did not get underway by the Thursday morning deadline then industrial action plans would be stepped up.

When asked if he was concerned about disruption to passenger travel during the busy summer period, Chu said: “We are concerned that our staff is not happy. We hope to sit down with the union as soon as possible.”

READ MORE: Cathay Pacific cabin crew stage marathon sit-in at Hong Kong airport

The first demand concerns employees who have finished their initial three-year contracts. Those who signed permanent contracts before April 2 got a pay increase from HK$144.70 per hour of flight to HK$176.80, but those who signed after April 16 would see their wages rise to only HK$159.30. The union wants the hourly rate to be set at HK$176.80 across the board.

Secondly, it is seeking to reverse a recent cut in the lunch allowance for flight attendants in Melbourne, granting them A$60 (HK$372) per meal instead of A$35 (HK$217).

The union also wants to reinstate a legal protection clause Cathay has deleted from its operational manual. That line states the airline will “cover all legal costs resulting from an incident occurring whilst on duty”.

“For our cabin crew who’ve served three years we offer a second contract with a double-digit pay rise. We think that is very reasonable compared with the market,” Chu insisted.

However, the increase is still less than what Cathay is offering longer-serving junior crew members.

Currently there are more than 100 cabin crew members who are yet to renew their contracts, Chu said, but the company expects most of them to accept terms.

He also said meal allowances are adjusted according to local price fluctuations, which is why the allowance for Melbourne was recently lowered. “As with legal protection it is a complete misunderstanding. The company will continue to provide legal protection to our staff,” he said.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung urged both parties to keep communicating, while his department was closely monitoring the situation.

“I have repeatedly called on both sides to exercise restraint; the most important thing is to maintain communication through direct dialogue to resolve their differences. We will always pay attention to, if necessary, [and] the Labour Department will provide conciliation services.”

The government said however that the Labour Department could not mediate in the dispute unless Cathay’s management and trade unions were consenting parties.

[anthraCX]

Work to rule or strike by the cabin crew combined with contract compliance by the pilots equal total mayhem when the first typhoon pops onto the radar.
I think I'd be booking flights with a different airline if I were planning a summer holiday!

[Blowback]

Isn't it very sad that this once great company now has such lousy staff labour relations.
At least they appear to be equal opportunity employers , They don't seem to discriminate between their employee groups . They treat all of them with utter disdain .
I suppose that we should feel somewhat privileged because the pilot group are usually singled out for special treatment .

[Avinthenews]

Even the government is following up



The Secretary for Labor and Welfare, Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said on Wednesday that the government could provide mediation services if needed to end the ongoing protests by Cathay Pacific cabin attendants.
He urged the management of Cathay Pacific and its staff union to exercise restraint, and said the Labor Department is closely monitoring the case.
Cheung called on both parties to reach a consensus through dialogue. --RTHK

[Arfur Dent]

I do believe this 'race to the bottom' strategy is making our Leaders look very ordinary with the entire operating crews in some sort of Industrial Action. "Misunderstanding" Ivan!!! I don't think anyone is under any doubt as to your intentions and people are just not prepared to be abused any more. If you don't change course, you and your dimwit cronies are going to become a laughing stock, responsible for turning one of the best Airlines in the world into a joke within a generation.
Get a grip for Christ Sake and do some "Leading" which for a start means telling London to think again and get their wallets out!!
There's trouble at 't mill lad!!💥💥

[wongsuzie]

We are concerned that our staff is not happy

Ahh.. did I read this correctly?

[Captain Dart]

Maybe if we all go 'hill walking with Ivan', things might get better.

[Yonosoy Marinero]

Secondly, it is seeking to reverse a recent cut in the lunch allowance for flight attendants in Melbourne, granting them A$60 (HK$372) per meal instead of A$35 (HK$217).

I was wondering what that recent MEL lunch allowance NTC was about...

Could they be learning that if you keep taking things from someone, eventually he will have nothing to lose?

[Soul planet]

What if cabin, ground and flight ALL go on a strike together in August? :D:D:D:D:D

[swh]

Ahh.. did I read this correctly?

Time for another survey, the last results were not clear.

I was wondering what that recent MEL lunch allowance NTC was about...

The NTC had a different number, lower.

[DropKnee]

What if cabin, ground and flight ALL go on a strike together in August? :D:D:D:D:D

I like it. Now why did the pilots do this over Christmas?

[controlledrest]

The company has had the crew hotels in MEL and SYD produce new 'crew only' menus, with 'cheaper' meal options. Allowances are based in these new menus.

In the Headland and the Japanese ports the breakfast is at a special rate. If you eat the breakfast these hotels then charge the company the difference between the special rate and the real cost. Thereby, the company saves money because most crew don't eat the breakfasts.

It is all about cost cutting.

Cathay management are despicable.

[Soul planet]

BACK IN 1999, WE WENT ON A CALL-IN SICK STRIKE!!! REMEMBER??? :ok:


Cathay Pacific pilots call "sick-in" over pay cuts
By David Harvey
9 June 1999
Pilots employed by the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airlines voted overwhelmingly last week to take strike action if the company attempts to implement a plan to slash wages in exchange for stock options. The company's package will cut the wages of at least half the airline's 1,300 pilots by 22 percent.
Hit by the downturn in Asia, and especially by the recession in Japan, which once provided Cathay with its busiest and most profitable routes, the airline registered a loss last year of over $100 million, the first in 35 years. This was in stark contrast to the more than $300 million profit it chalked-up in 1997. The company insists that its wage cuts are the bottom line. It has given the pilots a June 11 deadline to accept the pay cuts or take early retirement or redundancy.
The pilots began a “sick-in” campaign last week with many of them phoning in ill, causing the cancellation of 100 scheduled flights. Pilots claim they are suffering from stress-related illnesses caused by the company's protracted campaign to pressure them into accepting its ultimatum. The company has retaliated by using other air carriers and hiring charter planes.
The leaders of the Aircrew Officers Association (AOA), the union representing the pilots, claims to support the strike call, but this week it appealed to the company to return to the negotiating table and to implement cost cutting through the union.
The union's general John Findlay said: "We publicly challenge Cathay Pacific management to enter into arbitration to settle this dispute, which is causing damage to Hong Kong and our company. We would prove to the arbitrator that we are offering reasonable salary concessions."
The union is willing to accept pay cuts averaging 20 percent, estimated to save Cathay more than $US540 million over five years. Findlay said the issue was no longer about the airline trying to reduce costs. “We have offered to accept pay cuts but they want us to agree to $1.5 billion in cuts over ten years. This is unreasonable and they're being greedy."
While the company claims that Cathay pilots are better paid than many of their international counterparts, a recent study shows that the company's labour costs—28 percent of its operating costs—are below Qantas and the major US and European carriers. Cathay pilots point out that other work conditions, such as their pension plan, are much worse than airlines in the US, Canada, and Britain.
An International Pilots Association spokesman said this week it would organise international support for the Cathay pilots if they went on strike, but only "if their cause is just”.
The Federation refused to organise any coordinated response over the past 12 months as strikes by pilots broke out in many countries, including France, Japan and the Philippines, against the effects of worldwide restructuring in the airline industry. One strike after the other was isolated and the conditions and wages of pilots were cut.
The AOA itself is calling on airline workers worldwide not to allow the dispute to seriously affect the company's operations. "We have told or colleagues around the world that we do not want to see passengers inconvenienced in Hong Kong and we have asked them not to take any action on their own," it stated.

[Avinthenews]

Cathay Pacific flight attendants plan strike August 18-31

Way to ramp it up.



Cathay Pacific flight attendants are planing a strike from Aug. 18 to 31 to protest cuts in pay and benefits for cabin staff.

The announcement follows a protest by more than 1,000 members of the flight attendants’ union outside the headquarters of the Hong Kong flag carrier on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, hundreds of cabin staff staged a sit-in at the airline’s check-in area in Hong Kong airport, Apple Daily reported Friday.

The union is demanding better treatment after the company cut some cabin crew allowances and benefits.

Also, it is protesting pay discrepancies for junior staff renewing their contracts and loss of legal support for workers involved in civil action.

The airline has slashed its out-station allowance for Melbourne to A$35 (US$27.75) a day from A$60 but raised the hourly allowance for long-haul flights by HK$10 (US$1.29).

On Thursday, the union sent 250 members to distribute leaflets in Central, warning about potential disruptions during the August peak travel period.

A Cathy Pacific spokesman said the company is seeking talks with the union in the weeks ahead.

She said it’s too early to deal with the strike but added she hoped the union would take the interests of passengers into consideration.

Most travel agencies said they have not made any contingency plans and their summer tour packages are unchanged.

[Shep69]

Good on 'em.....looks like the ladies have some serious stones.

Sometimes wish we could get the same amongst our pilot group--although things do seem to be improving somewaht. Looks like whatever G day heroes, phone picker uppers, and training opportunists remain could take a lesson from our F/As. Seems like they got an audience pretty quickly.

Being pennywise and pound foolish never works out very well. Generous and Grateful work alot better than petty, resentful, and cheap. You get happy workers and happy workers are very productive. Conversely, when you push people away by trying to assert authoritaaay that isn't really there the effort that could make things get so much better gets channeled by people in other directions.

[FlexibleResponse]

Soul Planet said:

BACK IN 1999, WE WENT ON A CALL-IN SICK STRIKE!!! REMEMBER???


Cathay Pacific pilots call "sick-in" over pay cuts
By David Harvey
9 June 1999
Pilots employed by the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airlines voted overwhelmingly last week to take strike action if the company attempts to implement a plan to slash wages in exchange .............

..............."We have told or colleagues around the world that we do not want to see passengers inconvenienced in Hong Kong and we have asked them not to take any action on their own," it stated.

For her Masters of Arts in Communications, Catherine Lai wrote this dissertation in 2000.

I think that is well worth reading by all of us flight deck crew and especially the cabin crew at this time:

http://comd.hkbu.edu.hk/macomm/maproject/image/projects/2000_Dissertation/98402293_lai.pdf


.

[Avinthenews]

Now with the support of the umbrella group.

A powerful international labour group has ramped up pressure on Cathay Pacific to offer a better employment deal to cabin crew by vowing to assist in a disruptive summer strike threatened by their union.

Gabriel Mocho Rodriguez, civil aviation chief for the International Transport Workers' Federation, told Cathay that settling grievances over pay and benefits was "in your best interests" so industrial action "doesn't become the only way forward due to a lack of progress".

It is the first time the federation - whose member unions represent some 4.6 million workers - has intervened in a dispute at Cathay since the last cabin-crew strike, in 1993. Should a strike take place, it will encourage affiliates in key destinations to put pressure on the carrier.

Talks between the Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union and airline management were to restart on Wednesday after the government invited both parties to the Labour Department in an attempt to end the stalemate.

The mediation efforts follow the union's 41-hour sit-in across three days at Chek Lap Kok airport and another protest outside the company's headquarters last week.

In a letter to Cathay chief executive Ivan Chu Kwok-leung, Rodriguez expressed concern about the handling of the labour dispute.

"These claims are fair and legitimate, and it would be in your best interests to open negotiations," he wrote. "We hope that industrial action doesn't become the only way forward due to a lack of progress and serious response from Cathay Pacific."

In a veiled threat, Rodriguez added: "The cost of losing such goodwill can be difficult to measure in direct financial terms, but it is likely to be significant over time."

A Cathay spokeswoman said: "We will continue to communicate with the Flight Attendants Union and the Labour Department is arranging a meeting with the airline and the [union]."

Flight attendants have vowed to walk out for two weeks from August 18 if no deal is agreed on pay, allowances and legal protection, putting the company under severe pressure at one of the busiest times of the year.

Of the company's 10,000 cabin crew, about 6,300 are union members.

In 1993, a 17-day strike hit during the Lunar New Year holiday peak, as the union confronted bosses over staffing and pay, as well as the alleged unfair dismissal of senior crew members.

Outside Hong Kong, the federation was at the heart of a coordinated global operation to ground any chartered Cathay planes and ensure members of its affiliated unions did not cross picket lines.

All told, Cathay estimated it lost HK$230 million that year.

If the upcoming talks fail and a strike goes ahead, the federation will try to ground Cathay planes in London, New York and Sydney.

"We've picked these three because, according to the [union's] info, these are the most profitable and busiest routes that generate most of Cathay's income," said Carol Ng Man-yee, secretary general of the Cabin Crew Federation, an affiliate of the international umbrella body.

"We'll mobilise all the local union members [in these cities] maybe to surround the airport or protest."

The dispute centres on discrepancies in pay for junior crew members determined by the date they signed permanent contracts. Those who signed before April 2 saw their pay rise from HK$144.70 per flying hour to HK$176.80, but those who signed after April 16 would get only HK$159.30.

The union wants the higher rate extended to all junior crew, who take home about HK$18,000 a month in pay and allowances.

[hyg]

The ground staff are seeking assistance in setting up an independent customer service agent union so they can rally their support for the cabin crew in August.... looks like it's gonna be interesting summer for management

[CISTRS]

Looks as if Nick and his "People Managers" will have an interesting summer.

Gents and Ladies of the Cathay cockpits - you have an immense following of goodwill. Please get the simple (and safe) message of CC - stick to your legal minimum obligations to CX and don't help out, don't go the extra mile.

Please reap the unsettled WX this time of year for your advantage.

And stay safe.

[CISTRS]

Cathay Pacific's cabin crew union has vowed to press ahead with strike action in August if all three of its demands are not met - as talks ended yesterday with only one issue resolved.

"There is no room for concessions. We will not give up any of our demands," said Dora Lai Yuk-sim, chairwoman of the 6,300-member Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union, which represents about 70 per cent of cabin crew at the airline.

http://cdn1.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486x302/public/2015/05/27/fau-dora-talk.jpg?itok=aKRAZM4F

The union has warned it will strike from August 18 to 31 if the disputes are not resolved.

The first outstanding demand concerns employees who have finished their initial three-year training contracts. Those who signed permanent contracts before April 2 got a pay increase from HK$144.70 per hour of flight to HK$176.80, but those who signed after April 16 would see their wages rise to only HK$159.30.

The union wants an hourly rate of HK$176.80 for all.

Secondly, it wants to reverse a cut in the lunch allowance for flight attendants in Melbourne, granting them A$60 (HK$372) per meal instead of A$35.

The airline did agree to the airline's other demand: the reinstatement of a legal protection clause Cathay deleted from its operational manual. The line states the airline will "cover all legal costs resulting from an incident occurring whilst on duty".

Speaking after a meeting at the office of the Labour Department, which is mediating, Lai said the airline had agreed to put the legal protection clause back in the manual.

A committee made up of representatives from both parties will ensure the clause is restored to the manual and the airline follows through for any staff member requiring legal support.

"We did not have time to talk about the discrepancy in hourly pay rates. We had some constructive exchanges on the [Melbourne] allowance, but there was no big progress," Lai said.

The airline previously said it would adjust the Melbourne allowance to A$55.

The union's vice-chairman, Julian Yau Chi-hung, said the airline did not offer a new figure yesterday.

Cathay's director of corporate affairs, James Tong, described the meeting as "constructive".

"I don't feel that we have not made a concession, otherwise both sides would not have had such a happy discussion today," Tong said. He added that industrial action did no one any good and he hoped the differences could be settled soon.

Tong did not clarify whether there was room for further concession regarding the food allowance and the hourly pay rate.

Downstairs at the Wan Chai Revenue Tower, where the talks took place, about 150 Cathay flight attendants gathered yesterday to show the union their support.

https://cdn4.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/2015/05/27/dora-fau.jpg?itok=fYgQGVh_

"If we do not come out and show our unity this time, I feel that we will be exploited further," said a flight attendant who joined the airline about a year ago.

An emotional scene erupted as union members walked out of their meeting room to greet their supporters downstairs.

"I am proud of all of you. I am here to promise you we will not give up," union chairwoman Lai said, as the members responded with a big round of applause.

Talks will resume today.

[Avinthenews]

http://www.timeout.com.hk/big-smog/features/72317/cut-cut-cut-this-cathay-employee-is-not-happy.html

And the publicity hits keep coming!

[CISTRS]

Cathay Pacific strike averted as cabin crew union agrees last minute deal.

Stormy day of negotiations ends with both sides signing a memorandum, but union warns it will take action if the final agreement falls short.

http://cdn1.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486x302/public/2015/05/29/5c30284b62d8bb8c9551c66317e8c560_0.jpg?itok=VbR2uM5r

Cathay Pacific's passengers look set to be spared a summer of flight misery after the airline's cabin crew union called off an August strike action in its dispute over pay and benefits.

After a second day of negotiations, both sides settled their differences and, together with Labour Department representatives, signed a memorandum.

Such an outcome seemed unlikely at one point last night as representatives of the Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union stormed out of the meeting room in protest at the airline's "lack of sincerity".

But two hours later they managed to sign the memorandum.

"We have decided to call off all of our preparation for the strike action for now," said Dora Lai Yuk-sim, chairwoman of the 6,300-member union, which represents 70 per cent of the airline's flight attendants.

"I hope that we will be able to improve our relationship from now on."

The memorandum sets out a framework of what both sides have agreed on. On Monday they will sign an agreement that has legal implications. But the union warned that if the agreement deviated from what both sides had settled on, it would press ahead with an August strike.

https://cdn1.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486w/public/2015/05/28/cx-crew-strike-a.jpg?itok=t1awEleC

The union's fight centred on three issues, with its first demand concerning employees who had finished their initial three-year training contracts.

Those who signed permanent contracts before April 2 were awarded a pay increase from HK$144.70 per hour of flight time to HK$176.80. But those who signed after April 16 would see their hourly wages rise to only HK$159.30.

The union was seeking an hourly rate of HK$176.80 for all.

Secondly, it wanted to reverse a cut in the lunch allowance for flight attendants in Melbourne, granting them A$60 (HK$372) per meal instead of A$35.

Thirdly, it wanted the airline to reinstate a legal protection clause in its operational manual that it had earlier deleted. The line states that the airline will "cover all legal costs resulting from an incident occurring whilst on duty".

The airline had satisfied the union on all three demands and also promised it would inform the union if it made any changes to the allowance in future.

The signing of the memorandum took place just two hours after angry unionists stormed out of the meeting room, accusing the airline of "fooling" them.

They said the airline's position all along was that the union would be signing a memorandum. But just as the union was about to put pen to paper on the document, they were told it was an agreement that they would be signing.

The union said it was outraged by this because an agreement has legal implications that needed to be studied carefully before signing.

Two hours later, both sides settled their dispute.

The airline's director of corporate affairs, James Tong, did not explain clearly why the memorandum would suddenly become an agreement.

"The most important thing is that we all eventually reached a consensus on all the items," he said.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Cathay strike off after cabin crew agree deal.

[Fl00]

I think the big story here should be that the picketing cabin crew feel the need to wear masks. That speaks volumes to me about Cathay Pacific and their management style.

[Shutterbug]

@Avinthenews

Excellent find. Underscores how pathetic CX have become. The piggly niggly cutting of services left and right for the last 10 years has eviscerated the quality of service. All they have to do is fire the dimwits who keep losing hundreds of millions on bad fuel hedges. Oh wait, those are all MBAs riding heard over computer algorithms. It would be ungentlemanly for managers to fire from their own ranks. My bad.

[CISTRS]

I think the big story here should be that the picketing cabin crew feel the need to wear masks.

They are not picketing. They turn out like this to support their negotiating committee, in talks with CX, with the Labour Department mediating.

[CISTRS]

Despite framework agreement, cabin crew may yet strike Cathay in August
Framework agreement with cabin crew, which was to be formalised tomorrow, now in doubt as union blasts airline's 'bankrupt credibility'
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 31 May, 2015, 5:39am
UPDATED : Sunday, 31 May, 2015, 5:39am
http://cdn3.scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/486x302/public/2015/05/30/a876c8c7c0901bf56a22d0fdbe9b5aa4.jpg?itok=ui3ZHTXC
The threat of a summer strike by Cathay Pacific's cabin crew has returned, two days after the company and the union appeared to have settled their disputes on pay and benefits and signed a memorandum setting out the framework for an agreement.

"The company's credibility has gone bankrupt," said Dora Lai Yuk-sim, chairwoman of the 6,300-member Cathay Pacific Airways Flight Attendants Union, which represents 70 per cent of the airline's cabin crew.

"I cannot rule out the possibility of resuming our preparation for a strike, because the company has no credibility. How can we still trust them?"

On Thursday night, the union and the airline resolved their dispute on three issues and, together with Labour Department representatives, signed a memorandum. The union announced then that it had called off its preparations for strike action in August. The memorandum sets out the framework of what both sides agreed after two days of negotiations. The union and the airline were scheduled to sign a formal agreement tomorrow.

On Friday, the airline sent the union a copy of the formal agreement through the Labour Department.

However, Lai said: "It is the same as the memorandum. Many details were missing. An agreement is supposed to contain a lot more details than a memorandum."

But the airline stressed last night that it remained "committed to the items" agreed with the union in last week's talks.

A spokesman for the airline said it had been informed by the Labour Department that the union wanted to incorporate more information into the agreement and had since revised the document.

While the latest problem may be just a misunderstanding, the union said last night that it had not received a copy of a revised agreement and therefore could not rule out resuming its strike preparations. The dispute centres on three issues. In one, the union wanted to reverse a cut in the lunch allowance for flight attendants in Melbourne.

Crew were originally getting A$60 (HK$372) per meal but this had been reduced to A$35. The airline has agreed to reverse the cut and compensate flight attendants who were only paid the A$35 rate in past months.

Lai said the airline had satisfied the union's three demands last week, but some additional details agreed by both sides in the talks were missing.

For example, the airline said it would conduct an audit in July to ensure overseas stay allowances were in line with the framework that both sides agreed.

The review is also aimed at making sure flight attendants who received the A$35 Melbourne allowance have really been compensated.

In another example, the airline said it would "talk to" and "resolve with" the union about any changes to its output allowances in the future. Lai said the agreement only said it would inform and discuss the matter with the union.

"It means that the changes will not need to be mutually agreed on," she said.

Lai made it clear she would not sign the formal deal tomorrow if the items agreed in the framework are not included.

A Cathay spokesman said last night that the airline "reiterates its commitment to the items agreed with" the union in last week's meetings.

The airline sent a proposed agreement to the union based on the memorandum that both sides signed, an airline spokesman said. Subsequently, the Labour Department told the airline the union wanted to incorporate more information into the agreement.

"We agreed and revised the proposed agreement," he said, adding that the agreement had been sent to the department.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Cathay may still be hit by strike