Dear Mr Cheung
I suggest your lack of understanding comes from the fact that you are quite obviously not in the aviation industry and the responses you have received are due to this being an aviation forum (inspite of your claiming to be a pilot in a previous life). Let me attempt to explain a few things for you.
When pilots join a large airline, they do so at the bottom of a seniority list in a junior position where the pay is very low. At current rates, it takes more than 10 years for a new employee to advance to rank of captain, bearing in mind this person would need many more years of experience and qualifications to even get the job in the first place. If you decide the company is treating you unfairly and decide to leave, you must then look for another job where you, once again, will start at the bottom with the concurrent low salaries. The only real option for those who have invested several years in building up what we call seniority, is to try and improve or (in the case of Cathay Pacific) resist continuing pressure on conditions and salary from our position within the company.
Secondly, the current state of the pilot roster in Cathay Pacific is chaos. Make no mistake that this is the overriding issue in the current dispute. It stems from a variety of factors including a shortage of staff and an uncompromising management. I can assure you most of the pilots are spending large amounts of time away from their homes with little idea of their impending duties. Planning one’s weekend hasn’t been an option for a long time (At least you get that option working 5 ½ days a week). All well run airlines world wide are able to offer stability in a roster and I disagree with your comment that it is the nature of the beast. It is a symptom of a poorly run airline.
I hope this makes a few things clearer for you. Just a few things to finish off, the current action by the pilot body is an attempt to obtain a workable and safe rostering system, it’s not a pay issue. And if we are on such a good deal, quit your job and join up you ex pilot you.