Just because some US airlines name their slightly-better-than-economy seats or their slightly-premium economy seats as "first" class does not mean these are "first" class seats, just as the freighter seats do not constitute "business class" and why the freighter PXing is voluntary. Shall this argument and management's capitulation on the matter be brought up to the labour tribunal too?
The intent of "business class" is clear to everyone able to demonstrate common sense (obviously meaning "not economy" and comparable as much as possible to our own company's "business class"), including those choosing to ignore this intent, and all the customers and Skytrax voters and grievance adjudicators and judges in the world. If the management wants to play games like this for PT travel, don't they think there are many ways we can also play games that will increase direct and indirect costs? It never ceases to amaze me how they love to screw with those they should be screwing with the least: Not only are we relied upon at the pointy end to always keep things going, and going safely, but hundreds of USD per hour can be easily wasted by almost anyone, every hour of every flight every day. Yet, they want to save $200USD on a PT ticket every week or three. Really smart business.
Those calling for "negotiations" fail to comprehend who we are dealing with: Delay, deny, ignore, pretend, delay more, attach irrelevant conditions, change the topic, cancel, ignore, delay again, attempt to trade for other changes, threaten, complicate, challenge, delay again, snowball into insanity, ignore more, pretend to discuss, delay, and finally, do nothing...unless finally forced to by some outside force or remarkable combination of events that occurs once per decade. Then, when forced to do something for whatever reason, whatever the agreement becomes in the end: Don't abide by it professionally or respectfully, but instead reinterpret it, invent exceptions for it, rely on good will and/or fear (??) or just ignore it completely some or all of the time, and then let years go by again.
Isn't it time to put the list of company games and contract violations to those right above you-know-who's head and see who gets the last laugh when he ends up going to "pursue other interests" like the
he replaced? Oh, and stop waiting for "cordial" and "productive" meetings and just always go straight to court? How many examples does it take?
