United cabin crew in Hong Kong in last-ditch effort to save their jobs, as carrier mulls mass lay-offs

United’s flight attendants union will head to expedited arbitration with the company next week in a last-ditch effort to stop some 689 non-US based cabin crew, including 230 in Hong Kong, from losing their jobs on October 1. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA wanted the crew relocated to London to ensure they retained their jobs. Some 151 of the 840 originally at-risk staff would retain their jobs as they were eligible to work in the US, but must relocate. United announced the closure of overseas cabin crew bases, which also affected Tokyo Narita and Frankfurt, in June. A ruling on the fate of the staff, which is binding, is expected in mid-September. “When the crews were hired, during the criteria for hiring and a pre-hire contract, it did not specify a criteria for flight attendants was to hold a US passport,” said Kimberly Johnson, the union’s chief representative in Hong Kong. Among the non-locals in Hong Kong are US citizens, mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, Canadian, Australian, French, Dutch, British, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Malaysian and Nepalese nationals who have worked for United for at least 25 years, some for 30, and hold permanent residency in the city.<br/>