Cathay pilots vote to intensify action

The Cathay Pacific pilots dispute deepened yesterday when 92 per cent of union members voted to step up industrial action - although they refused to specify what they would do.

Wearing yellow ribbons to show support for 52 sacked colleagues, they voted 914 to 82 to 'increase incrementally limited industrial action as and when appropriate'.

The general secretary of the Aircrew Officers' Association, John Findlay, said the action would be 'decided as and when we feel by the committee who are empowered by the vote of the membership', but he declined to reveal how it would be intensified.

'The next step will be to further demonstrate to the company that they've lost the pilots' goodwill and that it will just be a step up in the action that's already been taken in operating safety strategy strictly in accordance with the operations manuals.'

A second motion supported 'the [union's] current course of action in the dispute with Cathay management', with 1,073 members in favour and 64 against.

Cathay spokeswoman Lisa Wong Lai-shan criticised the wording of the motions as 'vague and broad'.

She also said the proxy voting system put peer pressure on members and was designed to ensure they gave the committee the results it wanted.

'The results of the vote are no surprise. Voting for escalation is a further step in the wrong direction and will just create more anxiety for passengers.'

Mr Findlay said 1,191 members were represented in person or by proxy vote at the extraordinary general meeting, with 250 pilots attending.

'This vote clearly shows that the leadership of the union is its members and the members are resolved in seeing this dispute to an end,' he said. 'The limited industrial action will continue indefinitely until such time as we get back to the negotiating table and reach an agreed settlement.'

Of the 52 pilots sacked, 10 cases have been filed in the United Kingdom's employment tribunal in addition to 18 writs for unlawful dismissal at the Court of First Instance.

Cathay said two flights between Hong Kong and Singapore were cancelled yesterday.