No flight disruption despite strike threat, says Cathay Pacific Airways

Cathay Pacific Airways recently declared that there will be no disruption of flights in spite of the strike threat by the cabin crew over pay disputes. There will be a continuous flow of flights which include the Lunar New Year during which the traffic is on its peak.

Declining the negotiations over pay rise between the cabin crew and management, Cathay Pacific also refused to reopen the negotiations. The Flight Attendants Union threatened to initiate the work-to-rule actions according to which the staff will not do more than the minimum contractual requirements.

The Union decision might cause some delays and disruptions in schedules as they have also submitted their resignations. There will be a discussion among the committee members on how and when to respond.

The Airways proposed a net salary increase of 4.5 percent for the cabin crew workers where as the FAU opposing the offer claimed that the raise includes mandatory annual increment. According to this claim, many longer serving staff will receive little if any pay rises.

“We involved the union in many meetings on the year-end package and addressed a number of proposals they put forward. We remain open to discuss issues of mutual benefit to the crew community and the company at our regular meetings with the FAU, but our year-end pay arrangements were made clear to all staff at the end of November. We will not reopen talks and we need to move on. We will do all we need to do to make sure Hong Kong people enjoy the Chinese New Year holidays they have booked with us,” said Quince Chong, director of corporate affairs.