Hong Kong is a small city, with a huge economy. It has one International Airport, and only a couple of local carriers. The locally based pilots who operate there have potentially enormous industrial clout. The effect of major concerted industrial action would be huge. I don't need to spell it out.
But for some strange reason the pilots of Hong Kong have always failed to capitalise on their vital role in the economy. Like it or not the CX guys have to carry the majority of the blame for that. They have progressively let things slip over decades.
The reason for their inaction is puzzling - the introduction of B Scale in '93 created internal divisions which weakened the unions, but it slid by effectively unopposed. Maybe the influx of demoralised Ansett refugees in 2001 further damaged the will to pursue industrial action, and the '49ers fiasco was a shame and a blight that will never be expunged.
The 'no right to strike' laws in Hong Kong have been repeatedly trotted out as an excuse for inaction, even in the face of strikes by Cabin Crew and other workers! Perhaps the Law is an ass!
The arrival of competitor airlines like HKA/HKE was a crucial moment for all pilots in Hong Kong, and the HKAOA should have been bending over backwards to recruit every new pilot who arrived on their shores. But only a half hearted attempt was made to do so, and the begrudgery and hostility of many CX pilots toward these new arrivals was counter productive to their own interests.
Imagine if the pilots of CX/HKA/HKE were truly united in a union that was willing to stand together and fight against CoS erosion! They'd have the power to literally shut Hong Kong down, if it had to come to that. Yet instead the in-fighting and back biting continues, to the benefit of airline management alone.
Will you lot ever cop yourselves on and realise who your enemy really is?
HKAOA, get off your arses and make some effort to support the guys in HKA/HKE who need your help. You'll be helping yourselves in the long run.