Originally Posted by
krismiler
During the 1980s Cathay was the best paid airline job in the world for those on the "A" scale, industrial relations were good, Hong Kong was still under British rule. The Middle East 3 didn't exist and CX was a premium long haul airline and the gateway airline into a rapidly opening up China.
Recruitment was highly selective and most applicants were rejected. Captains from other airlines joined as first officers and often doubled their pay. No one left for any other airline, if you got in you were made for life and retired a UK pound millionaire in the days when that meant something.
"B" scale pay was probably the start and things seem to have been on a downward trend ever since.
The 1994 contract change that threatened "sign this new contract or you will never have another pay increase" stands out for me as the start of Cathay Pacific management's loss of respect for its aircrew. So began the chase of the almighty dollar as opposed to supplying first class and safe Asian air services to and from Hong Kong.
Middle management earned much less salary than aircrew and they were very jealous. But, by clever tactics they could earn huge bonuses. So, by screwing the minions they had control over, they could earn rewards that far outweighed the aircrew's total renumeration. Swire central actively promoted this ruthless culture of attacking aircrew conditions of service towards self promotion and reward.
Typical public school bully-boy tactics learnt the hard way in British boarding schools.
We thought we were a protected species, but it turned out that we were just any lambs fit for slaughter.
Alas, welcome to the real World.