PDA

View Full Version : PIGS AT THE TROUGH


Old China Driver
10th Mar 2006, 05:52
PIGS AT THE TROUGH


How deep the layer of indignation? What of the ‘New Relationship’ between management and the AOA? How about the concept of ‘shared sacrifice for shared reward’?

I am sure that most of you are more than satisfied with the emotional satisfaction of knowing that (according to Mr. Chen) ‘we have put forth our best effort, and helped the company through a very difficult year’. Of course, we are all supposed to now pull up our socks and put forth that very same level of effort through the coming year.

Let’s consider that proposition for a moment. What has just transpired is the legal and blatant looting of the rightful rewards of the employees. Back in the late 80’s, the CX profit sharing scheme paid out upwards of almost 3 months several years in a row. Some of our more self-serving Swire management looked at that and reacted two ways. First, they were jealous of the fact that we were well paid as aircrew to begin with, and couldn’t stand the thought of us receiving even more compensation. Secondly, that same Swire management realized that if they could retain more profit within the company, their ‘Swire’ bonuses would be larger still. Why pay our millions of dollars to those greedy and spoiled CX aircrew, when, with a simple ‘realignment’ of the profit sharing formula, they managed to divert millions more to their own bonuses’ instead of the pilots bank accounts.

In case I have to spell it out, the dirty little secret at the heart of this airline is that the senior management actually doesn’t work for CX, and their incentives are based on what they can hold back from the aircrew. No other airline in the world has such a perverted structure, and it is the single most important reason why profit sharing has been the better part of a joke since the early 90’s.

Let’s be objective about what has just happened. The employees of this airline have dedicated themselves throughout this past year to assist the company in dealing with record high fuel prices, growing capital expenditures, and an ever more complicated and burdensome training task. The fact is that the company has just declared a ‘3.29’ BILLION DOLLAR profit. I am not sure what your own personal budgeting looks like, but in anyone’s mind this would qualify as slightly above subsistence.

Regardless of the ‘formula’, considering the dedication and application of the vast majority of aircrew to helping support the company, it is nothing less than an Abomination, Outrage and offence of common decency to not acknowledge each and every employee in a meaningful way. There is NO other profit sharing plan at a major airline that would not reward its employees handsomely with such a strong reported profit. In fact, Emirates, Singapore and other similar airlines are considering up to SIX months profit sharing for their staff.

Let’s now move on to more subtle matters. For the past 3 years of so, the AOA and the management have been helping to rebuild a ‘trusting’ relationship. The main purpose of this was to re-establish a more stable environment, allowing both parties to work ‘together’ towards a common goal. The settled issues have come thick and fast: Housing, Rostering, 49er’s, work rules, etc, etc. The supposed quid pro quo of this for the pilots was the anticipation that we would, management and labour alike, share in the success of the airline. I declare that we now know the value of the company’s commitment towards our sharing of the health and progress of the airline. I ask the AOA, how do you respond to this dismal slander of the aircrew group?

It is also interesting to note that for many years, management have claimed that a more ‘balanced’ salary scheme would be to keep salaries at a moderate level, but with the employees sharing in the profit to help ‘top-up’ the income when the performance of the company warranted it.

It is now sadly clear that for a company to declare a profit in the BILLIONS, but to not distribute a penny to the staff for whom this wonderful result would have not been possible, is to truly see the greed, mendacity and selfishness of our management laid bare. It effectively tells us that the Profit Sharing schem is in fact dead. The letter from Mr. Chen was remarkable in its complete dismissive ness of the desires and expectations of the thousands of loyal and hard working staff. There are many books written about ‘Man Management’. I believe that in NONE of them will you find an example such as this.

In closing, I could of course continue to dissect and analyse this appalling episode. I think it only necessary however to remind all the staff that just prior to the declaration of this impressive profit, and the hopes of the staff who perform such sacrifice each and every day to make it possible, the company’s main goal was to purchase and restore a DC-3 aircraft for static display. A gesture so obscene in its timing and content leaves most reasonable men speechless. There can be no greater example placed before us of the completely different ideas of the two groups. This will stand as one of the greatest insults yet delivered to the staff of CX. The only word that is appropriate to describe this behaviour is: SHAME.


OCD
:mad:

7FF
10th Mar 2006, 06:26
I cannot find a 'standing ovation' icon.

Freehills
10th Mar 2006, 07:06
Eh? Fire 51 of OCD's mates, not enough to make him walk out in support. AOA abandon them? Nary a whisper of protest

But withhold the 700-800 USD of profit share that is rightfully his, and hell hath no fury...

Doesn't seem to be a vomiting icon either.

cpdude
10th Mar 2006, 12:42
Eh? Fire 51 of OCD's mates, not enough to make him walk out in support. AOA abandon them? Nary a whisper of protest
But withhold the 700-800 USD of profit share that is rightfully his, and hell hath no fury...
Doesn't seem to be a vomiting icon either.

Stupid, stupid, stupid...dumb, dumb, dumb!

Walk out in support? You can fight and support better from within I say!:E

700-800USD? Damit, I really do need a raise!:}

Oh, yes there is silly!:yuk:

OCD...A great post!

nudger
10th Mar 2006, 23:47
OCD..... POOR YOU! :yuk:


"The settled issues have come thick and fast: Housing, Rostering, 49er’s, work rules, etc, etc" All great deals from your GREAT onion oops.... Union!

:zzz:

Mr. Bloggs
11th Mar 2006, 03:40
Going well above and beyond the call of duty has its rewards. I will just have to try harder this year and this one will prove harder than the last.

Maybe if I volunteered to fly 2 man from LAX, the managers will get a bigger bonus and give out some crumbs. Mind you, it was only slightly more than $1 Million USD per day profit.

We should all take a pay cut to increase our profit ( the AOA is in talks with the company on such matters) so it may happen. Beyond 55 with no expat benefits living in HK should increase profit. I just don’t think there is enough self sacrifice in CX.

As for the union, it is only as strong as its members.

busdriver
11th Mar 2006, 04:34
Old China Driver - Hats off to you for a perfect summary of the way things are, sad though you didn't mention the "direct entry F/O program" that was sanctioned and ratified by CX management this week as further cost cutting initiatives. The first adverts for this placed in the Aussie media for Aussie based pax fleet direct entry F/O's .....

AOA where are you what are you doing, why the lack of communication with your members?

Freehills.. by your attitude I would think that you indeed work in the Ivory tower other wise known as Pacific Place, and I can only guess what your management performance bonus will be this financial year..... post insults in your own swire forum please!

OCD for AOA president.

Night Watch
11th Mar 2006, 05:46
direct entry F/O program" that was sanctioned and ratified by CX management this week as further cost cutting initiatives. The first adverts for this placed in the Aussie media for Aussie based pax fleet direct entry F/O's .....

busdriver...... mind if i ask where you heard this. If true.... it's a very sad day for the SO's.

I would have thought if true this would have made it into the DFO's weekly report..... but then again maybe not!

busdriver
11th Mar 2006, 06:01
CX management moto - DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
And its working with great success, generally the Cabin Crew despise us, with relations between the AOA and FAU at an all time low. Staff travel counter personnel at HKIA treat FOP staff as if we have a communicable desease. Never before have so many JF/O's failed first QL attempts EVEN although the check Captain says "yeah, a very good check - recomended for upgrade to F/O" not to mention the command success rate for 2005.
Fact: Every department within CX has over the recent years received a pay rise EXCEPT the Pilot body.
I will no longer ask for direct routes or reduce cost index or reduce fuel for a ZFW drop.......
PC, just a reminder that this company was started by "gweilo" pilots and if it weren't for them you would have nothing to mess up today.... uuhh correction to that, you would probably still be selling sharks fin soup at Disneyland!
Bets are on to see how much their "well done" bonuses will be? Do I hear anything less than last years HK$150000, me thinks not. I wonder what the 'formula' is for them? "....Good, you screwed them again here's a wad full...."
Just wondering what your profits will be this year with a disgruntled staff group - how many are going to go above and beyond the call of duty?

busdriver
11th Mar 2006, 06:12
Night Watch - I have called recruitment and it was confirmed, the ladies up there are very embarrassed about it.

Apparently cheaper to hire a F/O than to upgrade a S/O and then hire and train another S/O to fill his place.

fire wall
11th Mar 2006, 20:51
Busdriver, I can assure you there are certain things that can and cannot be written into training reports and one of the big "no - no's" is
"recomended for upgrade to F/O" .
My only way of explaining such is that it is read that it takes the decision away from those upstairs.

I agree with your comment re divide and conquer, management 101 core subject.

However I do take exception with your comments re "I will no longer ask for direct routes or reduce cost index or reduce fuel for a ZFW drop......." is not a mature response and will only delay your arrival home to your loved ones (no direct routing) or leave staff travel pax behind when throwing a few figures around may have got them home to their loved ones (reduced fuel/zfw calcs.)

"PC, just a reminder that this company was started by "gweilo" pilots and if it weren't for them you would have nothing to mess up today.... uuhh correction to that, you would probably still be selling sharks fin soup at Disneyland!" is disgraceful ........you might need some time off mate. Were you to slander my name on a public forum whilst operating under the cloak of anonimity and I would probably treat you with derision.

Engage brain before responding.

cpdude
11th Mar 2006, 21:47
Busdriver, I can assure you there are certain things that can and cannot be written into training reports and one of the big "no - no's" is
"recomended for upgrade to F/O" .
My only way of explaining such is that it is read that it takes the decision away from those upstairs.

Ahh yes...the egotistical ones who wouldn't know to teach a child to ride a bike but proclaims to be an authority on training pilots. Somebody should tell them that a critical assessment is not training!:}

Sqwak7700
11th Mar 2006, 22:05
Just wondering what your profits will be this year with a disgruntled staff group - how many are going to go above and beyond the call of duty?


Well, if you read this weeks DFO update you clearly see that many crew will go above and beyond by extending under "commander's discretion". I wonder if from now on the pilot group will be a little more "tired" when going to work.

Shark's fin soup?? Creative, but maybe a little too much. Did management drop the ball on this profit share issue? No doubt, they had an opportunity to make things better and it would have cost them very little. When regional airlines in the states like CoEx are getting bonuses, management should take notice and remember all the times they posted industry news saying how bad they are doing financially over in America.:hmm: Let's see what they are gonna do to fix this last mistake. It would be silly to not do anything to compensate and recover from it.

And how about that DC-3? If it flew in, why would it be so hard to maintain it in flying condition? And if you where gonna just "stick it on a flagpole for people to see", why not buy a much cheaper fiberglass model, or even a "non flying" DC3. I'm sure there are plenty of wrecked/parked ones arround that we could disassemble and stuff into a freighter on the way to HK. We certainly have the room on the way to Honkers. Didn't Cathay start operations with DC-3s (or the military C-47 version)? It is just bad Karma to take the aircraft type you came to be with, and just stuff it on a pole - especially if the aircraft is still in perfect working order. Is it me, or does anyone else see this as a really bad Omen? I must say, it is not a very good way to start your 60th anniversay year. I would expect better from the very supersticious chinese. :uhoh:

Sq (Well put OCD)

water check
12th Mar 2006, 04:36
A few comments:

the poster 'Freehills'. Basically a sad and pathetic wind-up artist. His username is the same as the management consultancy group in Australia that CX used to devise the anti-pilot strategies of the past 7 years.

Direct Entry FO's. This is another operational example of a company that can't manage, motivate or support it's aircrew. Because they have so badly cocked-up the training task (no more so than the cynical and malicious abuse of downgrading SO's and FO's on their upgrade status...to emotionally beat them into submission), they now find that to simply crew the aircraft, they must disadvantage their long-suffering SO's and basically continue to treat them like second class citizens.

'The illusion of peace'. I think it important to remind ALL the aircrew of CX that our management has NO intention of leaving us in peace. They have only been catching their breath. It will not be long before they launch their next assualt on our careers, lifestyles, families and futures. It is rather sad to see so many of my colleagues living in a state of self-delusion, wishing to believe that the management is their 'partner' in the future, and that they respect and value their contribution. This pathetic decision to not pay any profit share is far more than a disappointment. It is a warning shot across our bows as to the fact that they DON'T care about what is fair and reasonable, and that they intend to tighten the screws even further. Do NOT be fooled into thinking that the future looks bright. As far as our management is concerned, the only group deserving a bright and prosperous future is that of Management. Better start preparing now for another hard and painful fight. I suggest the AOA start communicating with us. Their silence on the PS episode is puzzling. Surely they have an 'opinion' on the matter. Regardless, if we don't fight for our rightful reward in this career, we will end up with a hollow and distressing 'job'.

Mr. Bloggs
12th Mar 2006, 06:26
I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but as a pilot group, we are finished. We have not stood up in the past and I am quite certain, we will not stand up in the future.

You will receive what CX elects to give and at the moment, it is nothing. I dare say the future has the same outcome.

As you see, pilots will go into maximum discretion and do anything asked to them. Hard to get a pay raise when the aircraft keep flying. How are they going to train pilots for the shiny new jets? I hear there is a waiting list for training captains. Can’t really tell a new guy not to join.

Pilots continue to fly on days off, acknowledge changes of duty on Crew Direct, maximum discretion, etc.

We have chosen this road, now we have to live with it. We have no right to complain.

Pilots refuse to support the court cases in action now(Mr. Croft in the UK and the rest in HK), can’t see them supporting cases for themselves in the future.

I am afraid this is reality.

dogleg
12th Mar 2006, 15:51
From Bloomberg News:
"US Airways chief executive Mr. Parker said in an interview yesterday it would be wrong to accept the payout before US Airways workers receive payments under a profit-sharing plan...."
Now that's a different management style, isn't it?

fire wall
12th Mar 2006, 20:30
cpdude, your comments are close to the mark and again another area that needs to be addressed but please acknowledge we have some very good trainers who put in a hell of a lot of effort to get guys/gals through a system that is not perfect by any imagingtion. Not all deserve to be tared with the same "egotistical brush" ------ and the critical assessmant should (but not always) be kept for the checkrides.

411A
13th Mar 2006, 01:35
Hmmm, direct entry First Officers?
Oddly enough, many airlines do this, bypassing the Second Officer route, which is suspect anyway.
Even SQ called 'em junior First Officers at the time.
Perhaps what CX really needs is a large input of direct entry Captains...now that would really stir 'em up at the AoA.:{

junior_man
13th Mar 2006, 14:16
The rest of the management team at US Airways had no problem taking their bonuses, just Parker that didn't.
And those guys were not exactly undercompensated to begin with. Some of the vice presidents are paid, with bonuses, approx $700,000 USD or about $5.6 million HK.
The US is a bad place to use as an example for executive good behavior.

The previous managers at US Airways have all left with millions of dollars (and their retirements intact) as a reward for what was usually a job poorly done). The managers at UAL just rewarded themselves handsomely for three years of bankruptcy.

BusyB
13th Mar 2006, 15:35
Yes 411A, Its a shame you're too old to be a DEC at CX, there's lots of trainers who'd love to help you out!

Al E. Vator
13th Mar 2006, 22:14
411A..Still got nothing better to do in your miserable retirement than to trawl Fragrant Harbour and try to make things as unpleasant for those still trying to make a living from aviation in HK?

I'm still waiting for your TriStar freight operation that was 'imminent' something like 4 1/2 years ago and was 'just waiting on minor admin items' or similar. Perhaps the chip on your shoulder was too burdensome?

411A
14th Mar 2006, 01:26
Pleased to see that you're all that concerned about my TriStar flying, Al, and yes, still doing same, only with pax airplanes...and the company seems to be inclined to purchase two more, now that they have investigated the business that I've sent their way.
Still two years to go, old boy, so life is good after all...:p

Now, if we look at CX, I am quite surprised that the management have declined to offer a bonus, for the profits at CX certainly would demand same.
Lets just say that CX management, in this particular case anyway, is not too bright.
Even my small company paid their pilots a bonus, wonder why CX couldn't?

cpdude
19th Mar 2006, 15:45
Vielleicht (perhaps/because) you're a retired pilot, und have no concept of "market forces", perhaps? (In modern management terms, du bist ein sucker).

...and perhaps CX management are the worst people managers on the face of this planet!:eek:

nolimitholdem
20th Mar 2006, 20:25
...and perhaps CX management are the worst people managers on the face of this planet!:eek:

I dunno....the category you describe is so crowded and competitive these days...:yuk: