Cathay Dragon’s staff urge halting mainland flights amid outbreak

Bloomberg

Employees of Hong Kong carrier Cathay Dragon have urged the company to suspend mainland China flights and are considering strikes or protests to press their demands.
Staff of the Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd unit gathered on Saturday for an extraordinary general meeting where about 89% out of 467 votes supported “industrial action,” said Kim Lam, a representative of the Cathay Dragon’s Flight Attendants Association executive committee. Protests and strikes are among options to be discussed in the future, he said.
Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong’s flagship airline, has asked employees to take three weeks’ unpaid leave to preserve cash. The call for collective action by Cathay Dragon staff follows a strike by medical personnel recently to demand more protection against the coronavirus outbreak.
Cathay Pacific “faces multiple near-term challenges, such as ongoing civil unrest in Hong Kong and more recently the coronavirus outbreak, which is denting both business and leisure travel,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst James Teo said in a report.
Cathay Dragon still operates flights in four mainland cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen and Chengdu. Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Augustus Tang said he was disappointed about the possibility of a strike at the unit, and said the action would be “disruptive and unfair,” the Hong Kong Economic Times reported.
An unidentified representative of an association of accountants said last week that his body is urging businesses to reduce risks for employees.
The Hong Kong Alliance of Accounting Professionals is asking companies to halt business trips to China, according to the executive with the group who asked to be identified only by his last name Chan for fear of retribution by his employer.
He appeared at a press briefing wearing a face mask and hat to avoid being recognised.