Union urges Fedex to halt operations in Hong Kong
‘Unacceptable conditions’ during quarantines cited
Fedex Express pilots union leaders are calling on Fedex to suspend its operations in Hong Kong due to “unacceptable conditions” at hospitals during mandatory COVID-19 quarantines.
Three Fedex pilots who tested positive for COVID-19 but were asymptomatic had to stay in Hong Kong hospital facilities for up to 10 days, said Fedex Master Executive Council chairman Dave Chase in a news release Thursday. Multiple pilots who tested negative but were in close contact with someone who tested positive “were put into government camps under extremely difficult conditions,” he said.
“Not only do these situations pose unacceptable risks to our pilots’ safety and wellbeing, but they also create added stress and distraction for flight operations,” Chase said.
In a resolution passed July 23, the Fedex Master Executive Council requested Fedex “to suspend operations in Hong Kong that expose our crewmembers, including Hong Kong based crewmembers and their families, to unacceptable risks to their safety, well-being and mental health due to governmental policies related to Covid-19.”
Fedex said in a statement that Hong Kong’s situation “is dynamic” as the government adapts its policies to fight the virus.
“We are fully engaged with government authorities to support our crew members in situations requiring medical treatment or self-isolation in Hong Kong,” the company said.
Chase said the public hospitals where COVID-19 positive pilots are admitted and treated at have as many as five patients to a room with one bathroom. Those who have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person is put in a quarantine facility for up to two weeks “with very sparse provisions,” he said.
The pilots union said in a member publication last week it knew of 63 Fedex pilots who tested positive for
COVID-19.
As Hong Kong battles the pandemic, a “tightening” of testing and quarantine arrangements for cargo pilots went into effect Wednesday. The Hong Kong government on Monday said air crew must test negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours of boarding. Otherwise, the air crew must take a test upon arrival and wait for results at a designated location.
“Airlines should also ensure that their air crew will self-isolate at a designated location in accordance with (The Department of Health’s) requirements,” the Hong Kong government said in its announcement . “Air crew should strictly observe the principle of minimising contact with the local community during their stay in Hong Kong.”
Several Fedex pilots and their families are based in Hong Kong. Fedex said in its statement that its Asia Pacific operations, which include Hong Kong, are vital in its global network. The company employs more than 1,200 in Hong Kong and runs more than 400 flights per week in the Asia Pacific region.
Max Garland covers Fedex, logistics and health care for The Commercial Appeal. Reach him at max.garland@commercialappeal.com or 901-5292651 and on Twitter @Maxgarlandtypes.