Cathay Pacific retirement age: should it be down to a vote or matter for EOC to consider?
Meeting between Equal Opportunities Commission and unions raised issues about rights, but airline is still proceeding with referendum
Hong Kong’s equality watchdog on Friday weighed in on the dispute between the management and staff of Cathay Pacific over raising the mandatory retirement age for cabin crew.
At a meeting between representatives of labour unions, the Hong Kong Cabin Crew Federation and the Equal Opportunities Commission, Professor Alfred Chan Cheung-ming, the commission’s chairman, was told that the matter of retirement age was a human rights issue and should not be something determined by a vote.
It also went against Cathay Pacific’s commitment against any type of discrimination, representatives added.
Cathay Pacific to restart vote on raising retirement age for cabin crew after system glitch causes concern
Hong Kong’s flagship carrier is currently conducting an online survey of its 9,000-plus local workforce to determine whether most cabin crew wanted to raise their retirement age from the current 55 to 60.
“We want the EOC to put pressure on Cathay Pacific to change their age discrimination policy irrespective of what the so-called survey says,” Confederation of Trade Unions general secretary Lee Cheuk-yan said. “Cathay should [practise] what they preach on non-discrimination.”
Chan said he would request a meeting with Cathay Pacific management to discuss matters raised by the unions.
A spokeswoman for the commission added: “The EOC calls on all stakeholders to work together to create an age-inclusive workplace culture and eliminate stereotypes about age. Indeed, employment-related decisions, including recruitment and promotion, should be made based on relevant qualifications and performance, not age.”