Flight attendants at Cathay Pacific Airways voted Monday to work to rule if the airline does not come up with an 8-percent pay increase in each of the next two years or at least improve its current offer.

Cabin crew members are demanding that the airline reopen negotiations.

No date was given for the commencement of industrial action, but a spokesperson of the union representing the airline's 5,800 flight attendants said it could come at any time.

"Anytime if the negotiation breaks down or Cathay Pacific refused to talk to us, that's the time we will initiate the work-to-rule," Chairperson of the union Dora Lai said after the meeting.

The union has not decided which routes will be involved, nor how long the work-to-rule will last.

But Lai said she's confident that all of the union members will join the action.

A work-to-rule will possibly delay flights and cause flight transfer chaos.

Under a union work-to-rule, crew members limit themselves to following the letter of their collective agreement, refusing uncontracted overtime or duties not specified in the contract.

Lai denied using public interest as a bargaining chip. She said the lunar new year holiday is still days away and stressed it's Cathay that will be responsible for any possible consequences if the company takes a negative or uncooperative attitude.

The vote in favor of industrial action was 583 in favor, and 11 opposed.

The airline has offered the flight attendants a 4.5-percent pay increase this year.

The union counters, however, that the airline is playing a "numbers game" and the offer is a fraud.

The union holds that the 4.5-percent increase includes a 3-percent annual pay grade jump that most flight attendants receive anyway and thus the offer for many salaried workers will amount to increases of only 1 to 1.5 percent and 3 to 3.5 percent for workers on hourly wages.

Fueling the flight attendants' ire was that Cathay offered to its pilots a pay increase of up to 9.2 percent over the next two years.

Cathay Pacific's Director of Corporate Affairs, Quince Chong, expressed disappointment over the union's decision.

She said the company's pay offer to cabin crew members was fair and reasonable and had been worked out after extended negotiations with staff.

She said Cathay will ensure passengers' flights during the lunar new year, promising none will be affected.

China Daily

(HK Edition 01/11/2011 page1)