香港キャセイ航空から解雇の従業員ら、「文化大革命」式粛清を批判

【香港ＡＦＰ＝時事】香港の民主派デモを支持したことを理由にキャセイパシフィック航空から解雇されたと主張する元従業員らが先月30日、「文化大革命」式の政治的粛清を実行しているとして同社の上層部を非難した。（写真は香港のショッピングモールで、キャセイパシフィック航空の従業員の解雇に抗議するポスターをガラス窓にはりつけるデモ隊。資料写真）
　中国の航空当局は、香港のデモを支持するスタッフが、中国本土の離着陸便、また同国の領空を通過する便に乗務することを禁止。これ受けて同社は、あわてて中国の好意を取り戻そうとしたものの、社内の混乱を招いた。
　上層部が従業員らに対し抗議デモに参加しないよう繰り返し警告を発する一方、同社の最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）と会長が突然辞任。同航空はまた、抗議デモに関連したとする複数の従業員を解雇したと発表し、同僚らに密告されることを恐れた従業員らがここ数週間、ソーシャルメディアのアカウントを削除しているという。
　元従業員らの一団は先月３０日、香港の客室乗務員の職業団体や組合の幹部らとともに記者会見を開催。元従業員らによると、少なくとも２６人が抗議デモに関連した同航空から解雇されたと述べた。
　身元を隠すためにサングラスとフェースマスクを着用した元従業員らは、自身のフェイスブックといったソーシャルメディアへの投稿のキャプチャー画像を示された後、解雇されたと説明。
　ジャッキーという名前のみを明かした女性は記者らに対し、「キャセイパシフィックが内部で（他人を）通報し批判するよう従業員を仕向けているのを見るのは残念だ」とし「まるで文化大革命のような状況だ」と語った。
　さらに「一部の乗務員は自らのプライベートなソーシャルメディアの投稿や更新内容を示され、証拠と共に説明するよう求められた。何か責められるわけでもなく、ただ解雇通知を手渡された者もいる」と続けた。
　その一方、キャセイ航空は声明で、同社が事業を行う全ての司法管轄区で課せられた規制を順守しなければならないとし、中国本土の当局が定めた規則も含まれると述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2019/10/02-09:01）

Former Cathay Pacific staff who say they were fired for supporting Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters accused bosses on Monday of carrying out a Cultural revolution style political purge.
The Hong Kong-based airline has had a torrid few weeks after Chinese state media and authorities blasted the company because some of its 27,000 employees had taken part in -- or were sympathetic to -- anti-government protesters.
China's aviation regulator barred staff supporting protests from working on flights to the mainland or traveling through its airspace, setting off chaos inside the company as it frantically tried to win back Beijing's favour.
Both the airline's CEO and Chairman made surprise departures as bosses issued repeated warnings to staff not to take part in the protests currently engulfing the financial hub.
In recent weeks staff have described deleting their social media accounts, fearful that colleagues might inform on them while Cathay announced it had sacked multiple staff linked to the protests.
On Monday, a group of former employees held a press conference alongside officials from the Hong Kong Cabin Crew Confederation and flight attendant unions.
They said at least 26 people had been fired from Cathay in protest-linked terminations.
Hiding their identities behind sunglasses and face masks they described summary firings, often after being shown screengrabs of their Facebook and other social media posts.
It's regrettable to see Cathay Pacific encouraging staff to report and criticise (others) internally, one woman, who gave her first name as Jackie, told reporters. The situation is just like in the Cultural Revolution.
Some crew were shown posts and updates on their private social media accounts and required to provide an explanation with evidence. Others were handed termination letters without any accusations, she added.
One woman, who gave her name as Chris, tearfully described human resources asking her to explain three screenshots, one of which offered an opinion on the protests.
She said she was initially suspended and then fired.
I wasn't given any explanation. I was just escorted out of the office. I was very furious and devastated, she said.
In a statement, Cathay said it had to abide by all regulations placed on it in any jurisdictions where it operates, including those prescribed by the authorities in mainland China.
We will ensure 100 percent compliance with all our regulatory duties. Quite simply, this is our licence to operate; there is no ground for compromise, the airline added.
The protests have also hit Cathay's bottom line with August passenger numbers down 11.3 percent on last year, inbound Hong Kong traffic down 38 percent and outbound down 12 percent year-on-year, the biggest falls in a decade.
Beijing's crackdown on Cathay has heightened fears among many Hong Kongers that the city's free speech laws are increasingly under threat -- particularly within any company that does business within the authoritarian mainland.