Cathay Pacific pilots continue industrial action over rostering
At 10 months, the work-to-rule is already Cathay Pacific's longest industrial action, amid stalled talks to revive a pact with management
Cathay Pacific pilots will continue their industrial action - at 10 months already the longest in the airline's history - amid stalled talks to revive a pact with management that specifies their maximum flying hours and cockpit staffing levels.
Relations are at rock bottom as their contract compliance action, started in December, brings out mistrust between Hong Kong's largest carrier and the pilots' union, the Aircrew Officers Association, which represents 2,100 of Cathay's 2,900 pilots.
Pilots taking part in the action work to the letter of their contracts and do not show up for work on scheduled days off.
At issue in the latest war of words is the airline's termination of a rostering practices agreement that cockpit crew fear would spell fatigue and endanger flight safety, although management insists it has been willing to discuss rostering issues.
READ MORE: Exhausted pilots tell Cathay their workloads are a threat to flight safety
"Our negotiating teams make efforts to work closely with the unions in relation to a number of matters, including rostering," a Cathay spokeswoman said.
The pilots' action began mainly over pay rises. Although that row was resolved in June, most of them voted to continue with contract compliance after the management dropped a bombshell that same month it would end the agreement, which eventually it did last month.