Originally Posted by
mngmt mole
If a company tries to "restrain" you from leaving with restrictive contracts, then that should say everything about the company and what its offering. It certainly says everything about Cathay Pacific. If you have any pride, any self-worth, any desire to actually enjoy your job and have a productive career, run away from here as fast as you can. CX is finished.
Many many years ago companies supplied the expensive training with no strings attached - too many pilots took advantage of this training to get a type endorsement, from a airline that they had no intention of making a career at. Many of these pilots as soon as their licence was updated, so was the CV and sent to the airlines that they did wish to have a career at.
This practice became so common that something needed to be done, I expect the airlines after being shafted by pilots, did not consider offering bonuses to pilots who had stayed for a reasonable amount of time.
This is not just an issue for CX but it is a reason that restrain methods are used, they would use a term like "insurance on investment clause".
The Seniority I expect plays a big part in pilots jumping ship soon after being trained on a jet, to work for an airline they want to have a career. That is so they can be more senior sooner, and that is a individual benefit and that seems to outweigh any contractual or handshake agreements made.
I expect that many airlines will be watching CX and see what they will actually get away with. The other airlines can bring in pilots on lower base pays than current but top them up with nice carrots, once seniority creeps in the carrots dry up (13th pay cheque example) then it is do I say I'am only 18 months from an upgrade? The people more senior than you won't support you they are on a different pay structure to you.
The company then works on an other pay structure with enough carrots to bring in the next round with base pay and conditions eroded again, but enough to get that seniority clock coming into play.
Will CX's newest pay and conditions be enough that too many will turn the back on seniority that they will need to up the carrot offered? Seems not yet.
But the rest of the World is not as expensive to live, has bigger than shoe boxes and breathable air - this airlines outside Hong Hong can use to go that bit lower.