CX sack 49 via DHL; impose new contract
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CX sack 49 via DHL; impose new contract
Cathay Pacific sacked 23 Captains and 26 First Officer in the last two hours, informing them by sending packages through DHL. At the same time, Cathay announced that a new contract would be imposed on the remainder of the pilots. This is despite the fact that the previous three year contract, which still has 1 year to run, was imposed under a "sign or be sacked" ultimatum in 1999.
The previous two days saw many CX services cancelled, and others flown by wet leased aircraft. CX claimed the pilots were engaging in a sick-out, but pilots were bemused to find themselves turned away from their flights, and even given days off, rather than having them fly CX aircraft. The company's engineered "strike" is likely to be reversed in the next few days, as the entirely ficticious sick-out is removed by CX management.
CX pilots are still engaged in a gradual limited industrial action campaign, which does not involve any pilot calling in sick. Unilaterally imposed contracts will not be accepted. CX still refuses to negotiate, or even meet with the pilots. The mood amongst the pilots is optimistic.
The previous two days saw many CX services cancelled, and others flown by wet leased aircraft. CX claimed the pilots were engaging in a sick-out, but pilots were bemused to find themselves turned away from their flights, and even given days off, rather than having them fly CX aircraft. The company's engineered "strike" is likely to be reversed in the next few days, as the entirely ficticious sick-out is removed by CX management.
CX pilots are still engaged in a gradual limited industrial action campaign, which does not involve any pilot calling in sick. Unilaterally imposed contracts will not be accepted. CX still refuses to negotiate, or even meet with the pilots. The mood amongst the pilots is optimistic.
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Bad news,
Looks like Australia 89 revisited. So this will be second time round for some of the Aussies there. Perchance are any of the same managers from Oz involved? My commiserations.
Have a nice day
Looks like Australia 89 revisited. So this will be second time round for some of the Aussies there. Perchance are any of the same managers from Oz involved? My commiserations.
Have a nice day
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
This was posted a few days ago on the "COUNTDOWN at CATHAY" thread:
stickyb
PPRuNe Flight Deck Qualified
Member # 11916
posted 06 July 2001 02:49
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From this mornings South China morning post
Cathay Pacific yesterday sacked a captain and two other pilots in a move the aircrew union believes is aimed at forcing pilots to end their industrial action over pay and rosters.
A pilot source said staff believed Cathay wanted to make an example of him in a bid to convince colleagues to call off their campaign. "A couple of weeks ago, a senior manager said 'what we need to do is sack 20 or 30 of them and the rest will get the message'," the source said. Cathay denies the comments.
Mr Tyler said ..........
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Posts: 109 | From: asia | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged
An obviously pre-meditated tactic, by an over-the-top management.
Other airlines that have gone down this road have ended up defunct, or bare shadows of their former selves at the end of it all, and I predict the once great Cathay Pacific will be no different.
There is no place in aviation for management of the current CX mentality - they will destroy an airline tp prove their point.
"Penny wise - pound foolish"!
stickyb
PPRuNe Flight Deck Qualified
Member # 11916
posted 06 July 2001 02:49
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From this mornings South China morning post
Cathay Pacific yesterday sacked a captain and two other pilots in a move the aircrew union believes is aimed at forcing pilots to end their industrial action over pay and rosters.
A pilot source said staff believed Cathay wanted to make an example of him in a bid to convince colleagues to call off their campaign. "A couple of weeks ago, a senior manager said 'what we need to do is sack 20 or 30 of them and the rest will get the message'," the source said. Cathay denies the comments.
Mr Tyler said ..........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posts: 109 | From: asia | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged
An obviously pre-meditated tactic, by an over-the-top management.
Other airlines that have gone down this road have ended up defunct, or bare shadows of their former selves at the end of it all, and I predict the once great Cathay Pacific will be no different.
There is no place in aviation for management of the current CX mentality - they will destroy an airline tp prove their point.
"Penny wise - pound foolish"!
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CX Pilots
Just seen a CNN business report depicting your man Tony Tyler who, despite coming across as a shifty bugger, was valiantly trying to give the impression of his having taken reasonable action (in sacking 49 pilots)in support of an HK population at the mercy of narrow and rapacious interests.
My immediate reaction, sitting down here in SQ land was that the HKAOA double quick needs to hire a very good HK PR firm who can get a persuasive front man facing BBC World/CNN/CNBC plus Herald Tribune and FT to explain to the planet that you are taking reluctant action in support of very reasonable requests for continued negotiation in the face of an obdurate and unreasonable management, in pursuit of equally reasonable and legitimate remuneration aspirations.
All in SQ wish you the very best of luck in your dealings with a management of breathtaking arrogance and foolishness.
Best regards
Just seen a CNN business report depicting your man Tony Tyler who, despite coming across as a shifty bugger, was valiantly trying to give the impression of his having taken reasonable action (in sacking 49 pilots)in support of an HK population at the mercy of narrow and rapacious interests.
My immediate reaction, sitting down here in SQ land was that the HKAOA double quick needs to hire a very good HK PR firm who can get a persuasive front man facing BBC World/CNN/CNBC plus Herald Tribune and FT to explain to the planet that you are taking reluctant action in support of very reasonable requests for continued negotiation in the face of an obdurate and unreasonable management, in pursuit of equally reasonable and legitimate remuneration aspirations.
All in SQ wish you the very best of luck in your dealings with a management of breathtaking arrogance and foolishness.
Best regards
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The HKAOA guys sure do need that PR firm, otherwise their actions will only look obstinate and selfserving to the HK traveling public. The CX management, with their unlimited budget, seems to be getting this message across quite well.
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I was just reading Cath ay sacks 49 striking pilots.
Their management is destroying their reputation as a good airline. No way would I want to work for a Lorenzo outfit like that.
Good luck to those of you who work there.
It’s sad to see a good airline like CX go down the tubes.
Their management is destroying their reputation as a good airline. No way would I want to work for a Lorenzo outfit like that.
Good luck to those of you who work there.
It’s sad to see a good airline like CX go down the tubes.
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If CX pilots don't unite and don't go on full strike in support of the 49 fired pilots, the company will make good in its bluff to intimidate all working pilots. There are no desperate situations, only desperate people. 
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From the SCMP:
Monday, July 9, 2001
Union outrage after Cathay sacks 49 pilots
VICTORIA BUTTON, ANGELA LI and MAY SIN-MI HON
Updated at 12.10am:
Cathay Pacific yesterday sacked 49 pilots including a key union negotiator and imposed a new employment deal on air crew.
An Aircrew Officers' Association committee member and negotiator, Brad Harris, is believed to be among those sacked. Meanwhile, union secretary Dave Clapson and member Peter Van der Meulen were revealed to be among three pilots sacked previously by the airline.
Before pilots met in Discovery Bay last night, the union's leadership said it would not be provoked into escalating its limited industrial action.
Union general secretary John Findlay claimed the sackings would be illegal overseas and constituted a conspiracy to break the union. He described them as ''shameful and disgraceful'' and accused the company of ''bully-boy tactics''.
Cathay spokesman Tony Tyler insisted union membership was not the reason the 52 pilots had been sacked. He claimed not to know how many of the sacked pilots were union members even though the company traditionally deducts union dues from pay.
''We have undertaken a detailed review of the employment history of all our pilots and identified those who, we feel, cannot be relied upon to act in the best interests of the company in the future. We have, essentially, lost confidence in those employees,'' he said.
The review, which started a few days ago, was prompted by the union making it clear industrial action could last as long as a year, Mr Tyler said.
Asked for examples of what pilots had done to warrant sacking, he said one had repeatedly verbally abused ground staff while another had called in sick on short notice five times in six months. The sacked pilots were 23 captains and 26 first officers.
The airline also imposed a new package of benefits and pay increases on pilots, including rises of up to nine per cent, increased education, housing and maternity benefits and improved rostering. The package was less generous than a previous offer made during negotiations because of the cost of the dispute, Mr Tyler said.
Mr Findlay called on the Government to review industrial laws to protect workers.
''Can Hong Kong ever be Asia's world city when this sort of action is allowed?'' he asked. ''What message will the Chief Executive take to the United States when one of his major companies is using archaic, strong-arm, union-busting methods.
''They are destroying the careers and family life of many of their pilots. Today's action by Cathay Pacific is disgraceful,'' he said.
Cathay yesterday operated 83 flights out of an original schedule of 122. Up to 8pm, 35 flights had been delayed by more than 15 minutes and six flights by more than an hour.
Speaking at government headquarters on the eve of his departure for Washington DC today on a United Airlines flight Tung Chee-hwa urged the Cathay management and its pilots to find a long-term and good solution to end the row as soon as possible.
''The strike or the industrial action at Cathay Pacific is seriously affecting our economy, creating inconvenience for our travelling public and affecting our tourism,'' Mr Tung said.
Monday, July 9, 2001
Union outrage after Cathay sacks 49 pilots
VICTORIA BUTTON, ANGELA LI and MAY SIN-MI HON
Updated at 12.10am:
Cathay Pacific yesterday sacked 49 pilots including a key union negotiator and imposed a new employment deal on air crew.
An Aircrew Officers' Association committee member and negotiator, Brad Harris, is believed to be among those sacked. Meanwhile, union secretary Dave Clapson and member Peter Van der Meulen were revealed to be among three pilots sacked previously by the airline.
Before pilots met in Discovery Bay last night, the union's leadership said it would not be provoked into escalating its limited industrial action.
Union general secretary John Findlay claimed the sackings would be illegal overseas and constituted a conspiracy to break the union. He described them as ''shameful and disgraceful'' and accused the company of ''bully-boy tactics''.
Cathay spokesman Tony Tyler insisted union membership was not the reason the 52 pilots had been sacked. He claimed not to know how many of the sacked pilots were union members even though the company traditionally deducts union dues from pay.
''We have undertaken a detailed review of the employment history of all our pilots and identified those who, we feel, cannot be relied upon to act in the best interests of the company in the future. We have, essentially, lost confidence in those employees,'' he said.
The review, which started a few days ago, was prompted by the union making it clear industrial action could last as long as a year, Mr Tyler said.
Asked for examples of what pilots had done to warrant sacking, he said one had repeatedly verbally abused ground staff while another had called in sick on short notice five times in six months. The sacked pilots were 23 captains and 26 first officers.
The airline also imposed a new package of benefits and pay increases on pilots, including rises of up to nine per cent, increased education, housing and maternity benefits and improved rostering. The package was less generous than a previous offer made during negotiations because of the cost of the dispute, Mr Tyler said.
Mr Findlay called on the Government to review industrial laws to protect workers.
''Can Hong Kong ever be Asia's world city when this sort of action is allowed?'' he asked. ''What message will the Chief Executive take to the United States when one of his major companies is using archaic, strong-arm, union-busting methods.
''They are destroying the careers and family life of many of their pilots. Today's action by Cathay Pacific is disgraceful,'' he said.
Cathay yesterday operated 83 flights out of an original schedule of 122. Up to 8pm, 35 flights had been delayed by more than 15 minutes and six flights by more than an hour.
Speaking at government headquarters on the eve of his departure for Washington DC today on a United Airlines flight Tung Chee-hwa urged the Cathay management and its pilots to find a long-term and good solution to end the row as soon as possible.
''The strike or the industrial action at Cathay Pacific is seriously affecting our economy, creating inconvenience for our travelling public and affecting our tourism,'' Mr Tung said.
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It is well worth remembering that Swire group no longer hold a majority share holding in Cathay Pacific. The current bunch of tossers are employed by what is euphemistically called a 'management' contract for, I think about another 3 years. Given the mainland Chinese way of solving problems through negotiations and consensus, what price for this net fullof pond life no longer being around fairly soon.....
Grandpa Aerotart
Given the climate in HK and the air clogged with pollution I wouldn't have thought 5 times in 6 months would be excessive. The next question is how many sick days had the chap accrued and was his average over his length of service excessive!
I've heard similar pisspoor excuses used before to get rid of people....pathetic grasping at straws springs to mind...hang together guys and stick to the core issues dont be distracted by management into looking silly in front of the public. Remember what political spin doctors tell their charges.....the core message over and over and over.
Chuck.
I've heard similar pisspoor excuses used before to get rid of people....pathetic grasping at straws springs to mind...hang together guys and stick to the core issues dont be distracted by management into looking silly in front of the public. Remember what political spin doctors tell their charges.....the core message over and over and over.
Chuck.
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Good luck guys, if you stick together, you will prevail, remember, without you, there is no airline. My thoughts and best wishes are with you all, especially those so disgracefully sacked. I have little doubt we at BA will be joining you soon.
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I can't believe the absolute ridiculous tactics of sacking pilots. Indeed, where in the civilised world would this be legal? I hope this only serves to strengthen the union's resolve. Hang in there and stick it to the p*icks until you get what you want and those who have lost their jobs get re-instated.