Cathay pilots in 'work-to- rule' over pay dispute

Pilots of Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific were due to start work-to-rule action Thursday after long-running pay talks broke down, raising the prospect of delays and cancellations in the run-up to Christmas
Union leaders announced the move -- which will see pilots work only their contractual hours -- as the latest round of negotiations with airline management over pay and working hours failed.
"It is unfortunate that a year of negotiations has brought us to this point," said Chris Beebe, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers Association (HKAOA).
The union represents more than 2,000 Cathay pilots and said 92 percent of members had approved the action.
"The pilot members, who are based in Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United States, will be instructed to perform their assigned duties in strict conformance with their existing conditions of service," HKAOA said in a statement late Wednesday.
Beebe said the union "looks forward to resuming talks with management for a fairer, more equitable agreement on pay".
A lack of pilots has led to some having to work additional shifts, reports said.
"The pilot shortage has always been serious. Some are called to work twice a month on their rostered days off," one pilot told the South China Morning Post Thursday.
The industrial action comes despite a four percent salary hike announced in November, backdated to January 2014 and running until the end of April 2015.
Cathay said it was "extremely disappointed" at the decision and that talks would now be put "on hold".
"We are confident that the flight crew community are aware of the high expectation from the travelling public.
"We believe they will continue to fulfill their duties and would not cause any inconvenience to passengers in the upcoming festive holidays," it said in a statement.
The airline announced a pay rise for Hong Kong-based ground staff and cabin crew Thursday, with the majority of workers averaging a 4.5 percent increase in 2015.
"Our business has been stronger in the second six months (of 2014), helped by strong passenger demand in the peak travel seasons, the recent pick-up in the cargo market and the recent reduction in the fuel price," said the airline's chief executive Ivan Chu.
He added that the wage increase also reflected "changes in the cost of living".
Germany's Lufthansa, Europe's biggest airline, was also braced for a pilots strike Thursday, with tensions heightened by its plans to expand into low-cost intercontinental services.
Pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) Tuesday announced this week's second strike, which will hit long-haul and cargo flights.
Its 36-hour strike Monday and Tuesday caused more than 1,000 flights to be scrapped and disrupted services to destinations including London, Dubai, Seoul, Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires.