This vote will prove a watershed in the history of this airline. It translates into one word : “enough “.
I actually begin to believe this too. Once upon a time, back when a CX pilot’s package was the envy of the industry, when management shouted “jump” the only response was “how high?” But years of deceit and double-speak, a constant erosion of pay and T&Cs not to mention a growing proportion of the pilot body on inferior packages (HKPA instead of ARAPA and now POS 18, ever-increasing times to upgrade etc) mean a decreasing tolerance for this management style. With less and less to lose we move slowly but surely towards a cabin crew-like attitude.
One telling point was the vote for accepting positioning on the freighter a number of years back: despite the then-GMA’s fairly explicit threats the vote was a resounding “get stuffed”. He was later, ahem, removed from his post.
Let’s face it, a 78.6% NO when both management and the union’s own Chairman and GC begged us to vote yes is a very loud statement. Coupled with an ever increasing resignation rate, a barely static airline size in the face of increasing competition and fewer trainers than three years ago precisely when we need all training hands on deck for the POS 18 wave will certainly be causing some sleepless nights.
They may have draconian plans in place or they may have been bluffing, we shall soon see more of their hand. Then the “we should have accepted the few crumbs that were thrown at us” brigade will either be able to say they told us so, or else finally stop whingeing about the scraps they didn’t get to lap up.