Cathay settlement rejected

Cathay Pacific’s pilots’ union has rejected a management offer to settle the Hong Kong airline’s drawn-out dispute over 49 fired pilots.

Hong Kong-based Cathay offered the pilots job interviews with the company or 10 months’ severance pay on condition that the union halts three lawsuits, in Australia, Britain and Hong Kong, challenging the dismissals.

The pilots were sacked in 2001 as crews launched protests over wages and scheduling, which cost Cathay millions of dollars.

Cathay’s offer was rejected in a 517 to 292 vote, or by 64%, short of the required two-thirds majority, union general secretary John Findlay said.

He called the vote “very disappointing” and said the union would approach Cathay for further negotiations. Findlay said a sweetened deal would help. Cathay, however, said its offer was final.