Cathay Pacific: ‘Hugely disappointing’ Hong Kong meeting sees no give on flight attendant contracts

Talks between Cathay Pacific and its cabin crew staff over a new contract that would slash wages by up to 40% went nowhere on Tuesday, with the union calling management’s refusal to budge “hugely disappointing”. As the 3 ½-hour meeting was taking place at Cathay headquarters, the airline’s pilots union was sitting down with Labour Department officials requesting their help in dealing with their own contentious new deal that would sharply cut salaries. Both groups face a looming deadline, having been told they would be terminated if they failed to accept the new contracts by Wednesday next week. “It is hugely disappointing that the management just did not want to listen to their colleagues at all,” Cathay Pacific Flight Attendants Union chairwoman Zuki Wong Sze-man said after the meeting. Wong said managers present at the meeting played union representatives a video featuring top brass explaining why cabin crew needed to sign the new contracts by November 4. When the union demanded the deadline be postponed, Wong said the managers present would only promise to discuss it with upper management. “They are standing firm on the deadline … they have shown no sincerity in negotiating with us,” said Amber Suen, the union’s vice-chairwoman. “However, we are not giving up at this stage.” The union, which represents most of Cathay’s 8,000 flight attendants, has threatened collective action should the airline refuse to adjust its timetable. It will meet with lawyers on Wednesday to seek their advice on possible actions they can pursue, and also discuss the issue with Labour Department officials. Story has more detail.<br/>