Cathay Cabin Crew Union Gets Nod For Legal Fight

The union representing Cathay Pacific flight attendants on Tuesday said members have voted to take the airline to court in their fight against new contract arrangements that will result in permanent and extensive cuts to pay and benefits.

The Flight Attendants Union held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, one day ahead of a deadline for staff to sign the new contracts or lose their jobs.

It said more than 1,600 members agreed that the union should take legal action on their behalf – but did not give any more details.

The union's vice chairwoman, Amber Suen, would only disclose that the legal action would include a demand for Cathay to grant those who elect not to sign, the same redundancy packages it gave to the almost 6,000 staff who were laid off in a massive cost-cutting exercise last month.

"I'm afraid right now we can't reveal too much details regarding legal actions," Suen told reporters after the general meeting, "but [it would] definitely [include] the redundancy part instead of termination."

The union is also urging Cathay to push back the Wednesday deadline for staff to sign the new contracts to November 21, and make the cut in pay and benefits temporary instead of permanent.

But Suen conceded that even if the company refused to offer further concessions, the executive committee of the union will have to sign the new contracts in order to stay on to continue to fight for the interests of union members.

Cathay Pacific on Monday offered to pay half a "transition allowance" originally meant for early signatories, to those who accept the new contracts by the Wednesday deadline. But the union says this offer isn't attractive enough.

The cabin crew union is scheduled to meet with the Aircrew Officers Association – which represents Cathay pilots – on Thursday to discuss how to work together to oppose the new contracts.

They are also seeking a meeting with Labour Department officials and Cathay Pacific management, and have written to Legco asking to attend a special meeting on Monday to discuss the struggling carrier.

"We're doing everything we can right now by seeking help from the government and contact Legco members for us to look into this and raise more awareness to this," Suen said.