Cathay cabin crew consider Easter strike over roster policy change

Cathay Pacific flight attendants are considering a strike as a last resort to stop a change in roster policy that now allows some workers to rack up overtime while others work as few as 10 hours a month.

From yesterday, all attendants must work at least 70 hours a month before they can swap flights with colleagues, according to a notice sent to them on Monday. The new guideline reduces the opportunity for industrious employees to work longer hours and get paid more, the union says.

Attendants had been allowed to work fewer than 70 flying hours and still receive a minimum guaranteed salary. Those working more than 70 hours received additional hourly pay.

The guarantee for staff to receive 70 hours of wages was introduced to protect them from business downturns, and it worked well during Sars when hours fell to as low as 20, general manager of inflight services Charlie Stewart-Cox wrote in a memo sent to employees yesterday.

But a recent review suggests some crew were swapping below 70 hours, with some down to 10 to 30 hours still receiving the minimum guarantee.

'It is unreasonable to expect the company to pay for hours not worked,' Stewart-Cox said.

The new guidelines would affect less than 5 per cent of crew, he wrote. Crew are rostered for 80 to 83 flying hours a month, he added.