Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last Governor, the self-styled fighter for democracy has been ignoring the demands of a broad based support movement for 3,000 strikers, members of the Flight Attendants Union (FAU), who were in dispute with Cathay Pacific Airlines (CPA). since 13 January, was called off fol owing the intervention of the Logis. lative Council which called on Jaruary 27 for a public inquiry into the dispute.
The dispute was over crew memshift and out of their graded position.
In November 1992, the FAU said that if the CPA management did not agroo to improve the members would take action tions - from 1 December.
CPA management responded by who refused to work out of position on 12 December and thon sacked them on 14 December.
Subsequently, management an nounced a 6 per cent pay rise for 1993, faling well below the 9-11 per The FAU rejected this offer along with the 1,100 (AOA) and the 3,800 ground crew (LSU). This is the frst time in the company's history logetner Since the beginning of the dispute, management have refused to hold any negotiations while the worve were stil on strice. When the Chinese New Yeer drew near, in the interests of the traveling putac the FAU agreed to call off their action if management agreed to reinstate the three sacked workers and start to negotate on pay, stating and salety.
Managements response was fo send warning lethers to crew members and refuse to deliver pay cheques. Union noticoboards at the CPA headquarters were tom down.
In a statement prior to the strike (union) allows the CPA management io sack and penalise members who have (been) actively involved in the , it would mean accepting the tive bargaining and to strike within (--] the law."
The issues at stake in this dispute must sound familar to many trades union activists here. What is also of particular interest is the significance a me ortouse in ferason o nome Kong's future.
Cathay Pacific is making money long-hauf airlines. Its profits for the first half of 1992 were US$1.26 bn, 191.3% lom the sante periso n Union spoikespeople beleve that in the run-up to Chinese rule in 1997, the compary is trying to maximise profits before selling a majority share While Cathay have denied such speculation it adds credence to the that CPA management are intent upon smashing the trades unions.
ine raus amilado to the tond Kong Confederation of Trades Unions (CTU), an independent and democratic confederation in contrast to the other two main union bodles; one of which is pro-Bering, the other pro-Taiwan.