Pilots' patience will run out, claims union boss

Cathay Pacific pilots are to meet next month - again raising the prospect of escalated industrial action - following what the union claims is a veiled threat to sack more of its members.

'At some stage the pilots are going to have to turn around and say, 'I'm sorry but we have been restrained long enough',' Aircrew Officers' Association president Nigel Demery warned yesterday.

The union has prepared a standard letter for pilots to reject individual offers covering benefits, but Cathay has warned those using it could be signalling they intend to withdraw their labour with effect from August 1.

The union said 800 pilots - more than half of Cathay's workforce - had indicated they would reject the offer using its standard letter over the past five days.

But the airline has invited crew 'stuck in the middle' to sign up for its offer secretly by using a revised company form of acceptance.

Cathay's director of corporate development, Tony Tyler, warned that pilots who returned the union standard letter rejecting the offer would be treated as if they had not responded to it at all. They would face changed rostering practices and benefits from August 1 and other changes in overtime from their next birthday.

Mr Demery claimed the rostering changes to be imposed by Cathay from the start of the month constituted 'contract abuse' - something the airline denies.