Sep 29, 2018, 10:12 am
BA to close HKG base [confirmed for Cabin Crew]
Oct 1, 2018, 11:33 am
#256
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Location: HKG
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Oct 1, 2018, 11:48 am
#257
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,024
Regards
Oct 1, 2018, 1:50 pm
#258
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,059
How short a memory you have. BA accepted a couple of years ago that having local crew on Tokyo was so important that they voluntarily increased costs massively by moving back to WW on HND so the ICC could work both flights.
My hunch - based on nothing more than observation from FT - is that BA will use the base closures (and threat of more) to extract concessions from the remaining crews finally allowing them to work with MF. At least Japan and India.
I also wonder about the effect of the new China-based crew. It was a huge publicity move in China, smoothing the waters for rights to increase PVG frequencies, and of course HKG (and Cantonese in general) are a thorn in the side of the Chinese government. Could this be part of it?
My hunch - based on nothing more than observation from FT - is that BA will use the base closures (and threat of more) to extract concessions from the remaining crews finally allowing them to work with MF. At least Japan and India.
I also wonder about the effect of the new China-based crew. It was a huge publicity move in China, smoothing the waters for rights to increase PVG frequencies, and of course HKG (and Cantonese in general) are a thorn in the side of the Chinese government. Could this be part of it?
Oct 2, 2018, 6:47 am
#259
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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Posts: 10,123
First time I hear of ICC crew not being able to work with MF - yet they do operate CAI with MF, and there were comments earlier in the thread about the importance of giving ICC crew the time to speak at crew briefings especially on MF?
Oct 2, 2018, 7:09 am
#260
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
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Posts: 9,952
How short a memory you have. BA accepted a couple of years ago that having local crew on Tokyo was so important that they voluntarily increased costs massively by moving back to WW on HND so the ICC could work both flights.
My hunch - based on nothing more than observation from FT - is that BA will use the base closures (and threat of more) to extract concessions from the remaining crews finally allowing them to work with MF. At least Japan and India.
I also wonder about the effect of the new China-based crew. It was a huge publicity move in China, smoothing the waters for rights to increase PVG frequencies, and of course HKG (and Cantonese in general) are a thorn in the side of the Chinese government. Could this be part of it?
Oct 5, 2018, 7:06 am
#261
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Southampton, UK
Programs: BAEC GFL, GGL, Hilton Diamond, EuroBonus Gold for Life, SPG Plat Elite
Posts: 217
I was made redundant a couple of times and also received such letters. Seems they have to follow procedures laid down by law when it comes to such things. It may seem crass but when large numbers are involved it's the only way. Can't speak for HK law but in the UK employers have strict rules to follow depending on the employees length of service etc.
The whole process is usually carried out by someone the employee has never heard of before never mind met. The sympathetic stuff comes off the record from your own bosses.
The whole process is usually carried out by someone the employee has never heard of before never mind met. The sympathetic stuff comes off the record from your own bosses.
Oct 7, 2018, 7:30 am
#262
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,103
From the South China Morning Post https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...-workers-after (PUBLISHED : Thursday, 04 October, 2018, 6:13pm UPDATED : Friday, 05 October, 2018, 12:32am, undoubtedly HK time).
At least they made BA blink and treat them slightly better even if they're still out of a job. Good on them for achieving that.
This remains far from BA's finest hour.
British Airways’ senior managers and sacked Hong Kong workers reach agreement after tense negotiations.
...
Dismissed British Airways Hong Kong cabin crew and the airline settled key grievances on Thursday as axed staff were granted more time to sign termination agreements.
In crunch talks that went late into the night, representatives for Britain’s national airline flown in from London agreed to giving ...an extra week for flight attendants to sign off on leaving the airline in return for a severance package – a deadline of October 11. On top of that, BA agreed to provide a partial breakdown of the redundancy package on offer.
An earlier sit-in protest outside the airline’s downtown office in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island culminated in a two-hour negotiation between the airline and unions at the Labour Department offices in Kwai Hing.
...
Asked how the meeting went when she emerged for a short break at 9.30pm, Carol Ng Man-yee, general secretary of the BA Hong Kong International Cabin Crew Association, replied: “Nasty.”
...
At 10.30pm, all cabin crew waiting outside the mediation were invited in for a briefing. Several minutes later, dismissed employees walked out with smiles on their faces, happy with the outcome of the meeting.
“We believe a further extension of one week is sufficient for everyone to seek legal advice accordingly,” said Ng, who led the talks for her dismissed colleagues, signalling one of the big grievances following the redundancy announcement was overcome.
...
On the calls for clarity on the payouts to staff, Ng stressed her members were not seeking more money, but rather transparency.
...
In an emailed statement, a British Airways spokeswoman said: “We have listened to feedback from our colleagues, and in their best interest have agreed to extend the deadline.”
Among the offer to crew includes a “generous” redundancy package – in some cases worth up to HK$700,000. It was providing a financial breakdown of the lump sum payments to employees too.
...
Initially, permanent staff were given until last Saturday – three days after being axed – to accept compensation terms. If they did not agree in time, they would only get the minimum required under Hong Kong labour laws.
As a backlash mounted last week, the airline said it would revise an ex gratia payment and extend the deadline for the attendants to accept the separation offer to Friday.
...
Dismissed British Airways Hong Kong cabin crew and the airline settled key grievances on Thursday as axed staff were granted more time to sign termination agreements.
In crunch talks that went late into the night, representatives for Britain’s national airline flown in from London agreed to giving ...an extra week for flight attendants to sign off on leaving the airline in return for a severance package – a deadline of October 11. On top of that, BA agreed to provide a partial breakdown of the redundancy package on offer.
An earlier sit-in protest outside the airline’s downtown office in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island culminated in a two-hour negotiation between the airline and unions at the Labour Department offices in Kwai Hing.
...
Asked how the meeting went when she emerged for a short break at 9.30pm, Carol Ng Man-yee, general secretary of the BA Hong Kong International Cabin Crew Association, replied: “Nasty.”
...
At 10.30pm, all cabin crew waiting outside the mediation were invited in for a briefing. Several minutes later, dismissed employees walked out with smiles on their faces, happy with the outcome of the meeting.
“We believe a further extension of one week is sufficient for everyone to seek legal advice accordingly,” said Ng, who led the talks for her dismissed colleagues, signalling one of the big grievances following the redundancy announcement was overcome.
...
On the calls for clarity on the payouts to staff, Ng stressed her members were not seeking more money, but rather transparency.
...
In an emailed statement, a British Airways spokeswoman said: “We have listened to feedback from our colleagues, and in their best interest have agreed to extend the deadline.”
Among the offer to crew includes a “generous” redundancy package – in some cases worth up to HK$700,000. It was providing a financial breakdown of the lump sum payments to employees too.
...
Initially, permanent staff were given until last Saturday – three days after being axed – to accept compensation terms. If they did not agree in time, they would only get the minimum required under Hong Kong labour laws.
As a backlash mounted last week, the airline said it would revise an ex gratia payment and extend the deadline for the attendants to accept the separation offer to Friday.
This remains far from BA's finest hour.
Oct 7, 2018, 10:15 am
#263
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relatively good news, especially as the fund-raising effort by BASSA appears to have stalled at around Ł76k. However, the Ł88,888 target was oerhaps a bit ambitious.
Best wishes to the HK staff, and a muted ‘thank you’ to BA.
Best wishes to the HK staff, and a muted ‘thank you’ to BA.
Oct 12, 2018, 12:29 am
#264
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
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Posts: 15,532
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...ng-kong-accept
HK companies typically "offset" the severance package by using the employee's MPF (pension fund). It is really good that BA did not and that was a sticky point.
Union seems happy.
HK companies typically "offset" the severance package by using the employee's MPF (pension fund). It is really good that BA did not and that was a sticky point.
Union seems happy.
Oct 12, 2018, 5:10 am
#265
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https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...ng-kong-accept
HK companies typically "offset" the severance package by using the employee's MPF (pension fund). It is really good that BA did not and that was a sticky point.
Union seems happy.
HK companies typically "offset" the severance package by using the employee's MPF (pension fund). It is really good that BA did not and that was a sticky point.
Union seems happy.
Oct 12, 2018, 8:01 am
#266
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...ng-kong-accept
HK companies typically "offset" the severance package by using the employee's MPF (pension fund). It is really good that BA did not and that was a sticky point.
Union seems happy.
HK companies typically "offset" the severance package by using the employee's MPF (pension fund). It is really good that BA did not and that was a sticky point.
Union seems happy.
Oct 12, 2018, 8:38 pm
#267
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Oct 20, 2018, 12:01 pm
#268
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: New York City
Posts: 264
Please consider a donation - now
With almost GBP 80,000 raised for the sacked HKG-based cabin crew, there's still a few days to go to reach the goal of GBP 88K.
If you haven't donated already, I ask you - as a passenger with no relationship to BA or its staff -- to consider doing so, especially those of you who have frequented the HKG route.
You can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/help-suppor...d-ba-hkg-crew?
If you would like to hear longtime HKG-based BA crew member Carol Ng explain the situation from her point of view, you can find a five minute video on the Go Fund Me site.
Whatever your views on management's actions, there is no question that many of us have enjoyed the professionalism and kindness of the HKG based cabin crew as passengers for years, and they need our help.
Please take a few minutes to donate a few pounds to a group of people who have safely brought us to and from the wonderful city of Hong Kong for many, many years.
Thank you in advance, from this grateful passenger.
Joe
If you haven't donated already, I ask you - as a passenger with no relationship to BA or its staff -- to consider doing so, especially those of you who have frequented the HKG route.
You can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/help-suppor...d-ba-hkg-crew?
If you would like to hear longtime HKG-based BA crew member Carol Ng explain the situation from her point of view, you can find a five minute video on the Go Fund Me site.
Whatever your views on management's actions, there is no question that many of us have enjoyed the professionalism and kindness of the HKG based cabin crew as passengers for years, and they need our help.
Please take a few minutes to donate a few pounds to a group of people who have safely brought us to and from the wonderful city of Hong Kong for many, many years.
Thank you in advance, from this grateful passenger.
Joe
Last edited by nyjoe4; Oct 20, 2018 at 12:02 pm Reason: typos
Oct 20, 2018, 1:42 pm
#269
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: RTW
Posts: 676
Well said, and I hope our community will provide a few more pennies in appreciation.
I'm looking forward to my next Oz F trip on Monday moved to another OW carrier on the off chance that BA will feel the miniscule pin-prick of my lack of custom (I did ask the BA Exec agent to put a note in my carrier change) but I'm sure my small donation is the more effective gesture!
I'm looking forward to my next Oz F trip on Monday moved to another OW carrier on the off chance that BA will feel the miniscule pin-prick of my lack of custom (I did ask the BA Exec agent to put a note in my carrier change) but I'm sure my small donation is the more effective gesture!
