Originally Posted by
Progress Wanchai
A couple of reasons.
Bases actually save the company very little once the administration costs, local legislation entitlements and legal fees are taken into account. It’s also a rostering issue diluting the highly productive flying but also limiting the options for certain bases to be consistently rostered to 84 hours. In short they were more problem than they were worth.
In 2017 when the company was looking at saving money they had zero interest in opening up bases back to 2010 levels (around 40% v 20% in 2017). It was only when attrition was becoming a major factor in 2018/19 that the carrot of bases was partially reopened, as they now fixed a problem.
As neither retention nor recruitment is a factor in the current environment, bases have lost their usefulness. Short term thinking perhaps, but perfectly consistent with management’s short term tenures and short term KPI’s.
Also looking at savings from bases as opposed to Hong Kong is maximum return for least amount of effort/cost. The four based groups operate under some sort of collective bargaining. The company can negotiate with four entities and yet be negotiating with hundreds of pilots. In Hong Kong each pilot is on an individual contract between themselves and the company with no third party having a right to negotiate or adjust that contract.
Then there’s Hong Kong’s complete lack of modern labor laws. It’s pretty simple there. Either someone is employed completely in accordance with their contract, or they’re not employed. There’s no middle ground such as “stood down” etc.
Trav, I can only assume you weren’t involved in the domestic pilots dispute in Australia. The union there advised all pilots to resign believing the companies would blink with the cost of accepting the resignations outweighing the pay demands. As we know they stared straight ahead unflinching.
I’m not saying your tactic doesn’t have merit, I’m just not sure that the same level of solidarity exists in 2020 as it did in the 1980’s.
Don’t buy this, bases actually do save the company money, as we’ve found out in the last year, to stem the tide of departures back to home country.
Rosters also can be built EASILY to 84 hours, from personal experience. Last month over 90 hours, this month over 90 hours. Bases provide the Company with a robust fatigue management tool that allows rostering to take place (and it does now) in pursuit of the health and stability of the pilots.
Now whether or not there’ll be any flying left in a few months remains to be seen. If not, Hong Kong will be in the same position re. Pay percentage as AAOA and USAOA.