Political situation
Written by: Lin Jian
2020-10-25 14:05
Last update date: 2020-10-25 14:05
Cathay Pacific Airways announced the reduction of 8,500 jobs last week, of which 5,300 employees in Hong Kong were affected, and Cathay Dragon Airways ceased operations.
The Hong Kong and Taiwan program "City Forum" discussed relevant issues today (25th). The Legislative Council Member of the Federation of Trade Unions Lu Songxiong and the Chairman of the Trade Union Union Wu Miner criticized Cathay Pacific’s poor handling methods and did not give employees the opportunity to choose. Dismissively.
Li Zhaobo, a senior lecturer at CUHK Business School, predicts that Cathay Pacific’s current environment and the elimination of the epidemic will lead to the next wave of layoffs. Li Hanxiang, a human resource management consultant, believes that the outlook for the aviation industry is uncertain and unemployed employees should consider transition issues as soon as possible.
Lu Songxiong: Cathay Pacific executives said that "cats cry and mice fake mercy"
Wu Miner said that Cathay Pacific's cash flow situation is indeed not ideal, and the global aviation industry is also in a state of freezing, but questioned whether such a large-scale layoff is necessary and there is no communication with the union.
She also pointed out that Cathay Pacific’s losses in speculating oil in the past four years can save more money than layoffs.
In addition, although the passenger flow has been greatly affected by the epidemic, Wu Miner mentioned that the airline's cargo operations have not been hit too much.
She further questioned whether Dragonair ceased operations and the Greater Bay Area Airlines established by Shenzhen Donghai Airlines Chairman Huang Chubiao is ready to join the Hong Kong market. It is doubtful whether it "will give way to another company."
Lu Songxiong believes that Cathay Pacific’s chief executive, Deng Jianrong, expressed distress over the layoffs, saying that it was very cheap, and it was just "a cat crying and a mouse fake mercy."
He believes that at least employees should be given the right to choose whether to leave the job directly after receiving an additional month of compensation or stay with a salary reduction instead of some people being dismissed directly, and some people will stay at the job with a substantial pay cut. The process has no communication with the employees and the attitude is very rude. The employer is required to contact the labor union as soon as possible, keep as many positions as possible, and help unemployed employees return to the workplace.
He also believes that the Federation of Trade Unions has always believed that there are many loopholes in the job protection plan and that unemployed workers should be directly assisted. The government has injected more than 20 billion yuan into Cathay Pacific, and the observers sent to the board of directors should not just "eat peanuts" and stand by. many.
During the show, the host repeatedly asked Lu Songxiong whether he had reflected his opinions to his party members and Deputy Director of the Labor and Welfare Bureau He Qiming.
In response, Lu Songxiong pointed out that he had initially reflected opinions, but did not focus on in-depth discussions, and he believes that Cathay Pacific Airways is mainly within the scope of the Transportation and Housing Bureau.
Li Zhaobo: There will be a second wave of layoffs in the future
Li Zhaobo believes that Cathay Pacific’s operating conditions indicate that if it does not lay off employees at all, the company will become a "dying patient," but it can naturally do better in details.
Regarding the suspension of Dragonair, Li Zhaobo said frankly that Dragonair, Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Express have some overlap in their services. From a commercial point of view, coupled with this year's operating conditions, Dragonair's suspension does have a certain rationality.
He also mentioned that the aviation industry itself is "good to watch, not good to do," and the real return is not high.
Judging from the current situation, Li Zhaobo said that he believes that it will be difficult to clear customs in various places this year. If the global epidemic is not under control, the vaccine progress is not satisfactory, the resumption of economic activities is even more remote, and the aviation industry will face a more severe situation. Personally think Cathay Pacific has a chance to appear. After a wave of layoffs, the government must inject capital again.
Li Hanxiang pointed out that Cathay Pacific layoffs are expected. The aviation industry has always been a labor-intensive and capital-intensive industry. It has been hit hardest by the epidemic, but the problem is how to communicate better with employees during the restructuring process.
He believes that Cathay Pacific can at least provide training and information to leavers, help analyze their career development, and provide relevant support.
He pointed out that employees in the aviation service industry have advantages in several areas, such as language ability, service attitude, etc. In some industries such as financial services, real estate, and even potential tourism in the Greater Bay Area in the future, they may find a way out, so they don’t have to be so desperate.
Regarding someone who is preparing to join the Hong Kong aviation industry market, Li Hanxiang quoted several shipping experts to analyze that the Hong Kong shipping industry will not be able to return to the state of the first half of 2019 until 2024 at the earliest, so joining the market will be "a thorny road."
He pointed out that the number of airlines that Hong Kong's overall market can support is itself a question. Workers who are unemployed this time are advised to take the opportunity to consider how to add value and transform themselves.
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