We are already into the 2nd half of the year and there are no signs of recovery, in spite of talk of ‘green-shoots’ and stock market activity. The last quarter of the past financial year saw a large drop in revenue and the recent reports of H1N1 outbreaks in Japan has dampened travel further preceding the June school holidays.
Some of you have observed full loads on some flights but this must be viewed in light of reduced capacity in certain sectors. Reduced load factors, poor yields and opening up of ASEAN skies have resulted in us ceding flights to MI in KUL, HYD and PEN. SIA Cargo is faring worse.
Many other legacy airlines are bleeding and a major competitor has recently announced cutting First Class on some flights. We would be remiss and irresponsible to ignore the signs and bury our heads in the sand, hoping for a quick turnaround.
To-date the Company has had several meetings with ALPAS. We have also sought joint-mediation with MOM. Unfortunately we have not progressed beyond the interim 1-day CNPL already agreed upon. At these meetings, the company has shown the excess numbers of pilots brought about by capacity cuts.
These numbers were also shown to you at the dialogue sessions. To mitigate the excess crew numbers, we have offered several schemes which some of you have taken up. This included non-renewals of expatriate contracts as their term ends.
The company has, at its meetings with the Association and at the dialogue sessions, shown the actual CNPL days required to absorb the excesses. It varied fleet-by-fleet, and captains from first officers due to operational requirements. The CNPL days went as high as 6 days to zero for varying fleets and by months. The company has committed to capping it to 3 days for captains and 4 days for first officers. This is dependant on monthly rostering requirements. No CNPL was planned for instructors as they are not in excess but the interim 1 day was applied to them arising from the Association’s inputs.
These additional measures beyond the interim 1-day CNPL are necessary to stave off the last resort for retrenchment, which will affect expats and nationals alike.
And to add more salt onto any wound: It looks like Flt Ops has no intention of slowing down Captain upgrade training, and FO training too. I just had a cadet pilot (he told me that he's only a cadet, not even a SO) on observer duty. It was brought to both my FO & my attention that there's no sign of slowing in recruitment. The only thing is the back log is very very long. This bloke, he's still waiting for his SIM training since many months ago and there's no lesson planned in sight according to him. And the FO with me right away concurred that training department has no intention of holding off upgrade training for FOs too. And jokingly ( not knowing that I'm on my way out ) he said a new local Captain cost so much less than me. I have to admit, I couldn't argue that one out really.
What a fantastic opportunity once again SIA Flight Ops management has been presented with. I'm sure they will waste no time to engage next phase of firing; right after ALPAS being forced to accept more CNPLs.
I concur 101% with 777vs330 that they should pay us back for our sacrifices when the company is doing good.If cost cutting is a pre-emptive measure to prevent loss, then I'm all up for it. But if it's used as another mean to increase it's coffer and pay for some fools investing mistake, then FK you.And the only way to prevent a misunderstanding there is to have a clause to compensate or reward us back if the company quarterly or annual profit makes it to a mutually agreed target . And wasn't the purpose of AWC, MVC to allow flexibilty in our pay during bad times ?
Frankly speaking, ALPA-S, MOM and any workers' union in Singapore are just toothless tigers. This "mediation" is just going through the motions for the inevitable. SQ has learned from its bloody PR mess it made out of the 2003 retrenchments and has seemed to choreograph its every move( VNPL, CNPL, paycut) to the T for the "spring cleaning". It would seem that they did everything they could to prevent it when it was planned all along. This order seems to come from high above( outside ALH ). Expat and locals alike, we are losers in this one way or another. The real winner is ......
BoeingDream, Suggest you go onto the Alpas site and read the latest on the round of talks. Might calm you down abit. With more Capts leaving all the time, the no's will improve slowly and before you know it, we're short.Just hope we haven't taken that pay cut, because they'll never give it back.
BoeingDream, Suggest you go onto the Alpas site and read the latest on the round of talks. Might calm you down abit. With more Capts leaving all the time, the no's will improve slowly and before you know it, we're short.Just hope we haven't taken that pay cut, because they'll never give it back.
Is the outcome confidential? Seems like noone is talking publicly about it unlike the first round.
Location: Somewhere between MSL and the Stratosphere
Posts: 213
Why am i so certain that the MOM is going to impose at least 2/3 days cnpl.And why are they mixing up the issues of SI and AVC?
Well,lets wait and see.
While on the same topic it would be interesting to compare the take home salaries of say a local 777 captain working for SIA with that of an expat 777 captain.Just a thought to see what the difference might be.
I do know that the expat is paid a house rent allowance that probably the local is not...and a certain part of his kids tution fees are catered for.Any input as to the rosters of the two pilots.I would like to think that the local pilot makes the best of stations as a 'compensation' towards his 'lack' of income.Maybe not....just wondering...
King...didn't you already say you were an "Expat" Capt with SIA...if so you would already know the pay scenarios between the two groups...if you don't then you must be a quiet fellow at work...it doesn't take much to find out what the diffs are...so who are you really?
King, please this is an honest and sincere request...please if SIA does not renew your contract or if retrenchment becomes a reality please do not come over to the ME especially QR.
Are you insinuating that a local pilot gets a better roster consistently then an expatriate? Over here we are all the same so please take your xenophobic views and go home to wherever you came from.
a345,
You claim to be from singapore whilst u simultaneously say"come over"with reference to QR and the other's lost in the sand.Make up ur muddled mind boy.
LC,
I don't go around asking personal q's to other pilots,be they expats or locals or for that matter from any other airline.Its un ethical to say the least! I obviously assume that u do it on a regular basis.Ethics seems far from ur post.Pls vent ur frustrations some other place.Mebbe the sandpit would be a good start.
And yes,I have it from good authority that the singaporean buys have a much much better roster than the expats.If somebody wants proof of the pudding we could get it for you.Will take some effort but possible nevertheless....
Digest that...
King...easy there fella...Sorry if I hit a sore spot...simply interested in what you might be thinking. I actually know more about the SQ situation than you might think. To react the way you have makes many wonder why you feel that the "Local" pilots at SIA get a better deal? Let me help, they get a better deal because they are from SINGAPORE! Standard expat rule all over the world...get used to it. Locals win...expats are cannon fodder. BTW, the scheduling program used by SQ is programmed to balance hours, route qualifications, and other such CAAS requirements. Hours go to those who need training first, training pillots get rostered by those requirements. There is no "seniority list" so to speak, and as such, no one may hog any COP's...But like any program, it can be altered. If you have a gripe, take it to your ALPAS guys, and keep it out of here. To throw your toys out of the crib, or toss an insult or two will only make you look more and more foolish. Ethically speaking? Whatever... What's that old saw...? It's better to keep one's mouth closed and let them think you are an idiot, than to open it and prove it...(paraphrased...)
Have good day!
Last edited by Left Coaster : 16th June 2009 at 08:41.
Oh and @ 4PW,
Quote: "Who the eff is this guy?"
Talk about a lame question.Therefore u are insinuating in one statment that you know everybody on PPRuNe.
Wow,u must go places boy! Surely not into aviation...
LC, "It's better to keep one's mouth closed and let them think you are an idiot, than to open it and prove it...(paraphrased...)"
You couldn't have put it better.So as the big boys would say......shut up!!
And save what little grace u have left after your last few posts.
You just proved yourself that you are after all.........an idiot!
Now back to the topic at hand...
Left Coaster - You are right, the roster is 'balanced' to make sure everyone gets similar hours and therefore money. What isn't balanced is who gets to be 'in command' out of SIN, with no STBY and who gets to go to London and who gets the crap.
Another 'covert' threat
K you.And the only way to prevent a misunderstanding there is to have a clause to compensate or reward us back if the company quarterly or annual profit makes it to a mutually agreed target . And wasn't the purpose of AWC, MVC to allow flexibilty in our pay during bad times ?
Just hope we haven't taken that pay cut, because they'll never give it back.
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