Bid to clear name nears end

Former Cathay Pacific flight attendant Courtney Chong Cheng-lin yesterday reached the last round of a fight to clear her name after she was sacked five years ago amid allegations of petty theft.

Ms Chong asked the Legislative Council's complaints division yesterday to investigate delays in a Labour Department assessment of her case.

She also asked it to look at an analysis of the Attorney-General's decision in December last year that there was 'insufficient evidence' to prove she was sacked because of anti-union bias. Ms Chong led a union battle against Cathay in 1993. Shortly after her role in a strike, she was accused of stealing a packet of macadamia nuts, a magazine and a bottle of water, and dismissed.

In June, Cathay paid her more than $4 million in an out-of-court settlement after she pursued a defamation action against it.

Yesterday, Ms Chong petitioned members of the Legislative Council Secretariat Complaints Division to overturn the ruling that there was insufficient evidence to prove bias. James To Kun-sun, Andrew Cheng Kar-foo, Ng Leung-sing and Confederation of Trade Unions general secretary Lee Cheuk-yan will consider the matter.

They will ask the Labour Department why it took six months to reach its decision, which left Ms Chong unable to pursue a prosecution for wrongful dismissal, according to labour laws, Mr Lee said after the meeting.