Just as Singapore Airlines overreacted, immediately post SARS, by quickly slashing salaries, retrenching and forcing unpaid leave on all employees, including pilots, amidst a cloud of waffle and obfuscation, refusing to reveal the financial calculations on which the Company had based its peremptory and draconian actions (none as it subsequently turned out), so we now see the Senior Minister adopting this well worn modus operandi to justify his own precipitate, intemperate and concerted attack on the pilots of Alpa-S who have recently had the temerity to exercise their democratic and statutory right to elect a new president and exco to the association.
Surely the SM is floundering a little by saying:
“Singapore Airlines has become "tubby" like Qantas and British Airways were in the past.
Because these airlines have restructured and are leaner, Singapore Airlines too has to become leaner. One way was for pilots to do split shifts – which meant that they would report for duty only when there was work.
This way, we save on the number of pilots as the airline expands. They are (sic) many things which can be done which will trim costs. I mean you can bring costs down by 10, 15%, you will become competitive."
Since when did pilots ever report for duty other than when there was work? What exactly are “split shifts” in this context? What precisely is “I mean you can bring costs down by 10, 15%, you will become competitive” meant to convey?
Does anyone else detect back-tracking self justification combined with waffle and obfuscation to cover the original ignorant, unjust and ill-judged attack on the pilots?
Last edited by highcirrus; 5th Jan 2004 at 14:11.