Pilots resume limited action
Cathay Pacific pilots will resume limited industrial action against the company from today as part of their continuing dispute with the airline over working conditions.
The pilots will reinstate contract compliance - refusal to work on days off - after three-quarters of Aircrew Officers' Association members voted in favour of the action last month.
An association spokesman yesterday urged the company to return to negotiations after talks broke down in October. He said contract compliance meant delays could not be ruled out.
'If [Cathay Pacific] do not have the pilots to spare, then there could be delays during busy periods because the pilots will take their duly allotted days off to prevent fatigue,' he said.
'We decided to introduce contract compliance on January 2 to avoid the Christmas rush and give Cathay a chance to return to the negotiating table.'
He said contract compliance would be implemented indefinitely and stronger action could not be ruled out.
Cathay Pacific spokeswoman Lisa Wong Lai-shan called on the union to be more sensible.
'We hope they will make the best decisions in whatever they do, not only for their membership but the travelling public and the benefit of Hong Kong,' Ms Wong said. 'The majority of our pilots operate professionally. Our on-time performance rate for the past few weeks has been 90 per cent, which is a very high level for the industry.'
Ms Wong said contract compliance would affect the flexibility of internal rostering arrangements but she was confident flights would not be affected.
She said the company was accustomed to contract compliance, which had been in operation most of the time since 1997.
The pilots are at odds with the company over issues including rostering, pay and benefits. The union suspended contract compliance and a work-to-rule campaign in October in an effort to encourage Cathay to return to the negotiating table.
The airline demanded further concessions - which pilots were unwilling to make - as a pre-condition to further talks.
