'Nervous Cathay Workers Await Lay-off Decision'

A union for airline workers has expressed concern that hundreds of Cathay Pacific employees from different departments could be fired, as reports emerged that the airliner is expected to announce that it will lay-off thousands of people.

Hong Kong's flag carrier announced earlier that it would forgo the government's latest wage subsidy scheme, under the anti-epidemic relief fund, paving the way for it to reduce staff.

The head of the Staffs and Workers Union of Hong Kong Civil Airlines, Li Wing-foo, said he hasn't heard of concrete details yet but expressed concerns about the size of the possible lay-offs and that some of his members were nervous about the news.

Li told an RTHK radio programme that he thinks cutting staff is not the solution, and that widespread sackings could impact Hong Kong airport, the aviation industry and its future recovery after the Covid-19 situation calms down.

He also expressed concerns that if economic recovery for the aviation sector is slow, then this could lead a possible talent drain from the aviation sector with those working as engineers or technicians switching to other industries, and this could impact the sector.

Li said some workers are already taking pay-cuts, with several hundred people having left the industry and switching to others jobs such as security guards.