JD, extremely well written. A thoughtful contribution that I hope all of us take to heart. It has been sad being witness to the weak response of our fellow colleagues these past few years. I sense that even the most 'thick skinned' of us have now realised that further acquiesence is of no use, and that action of a firm and determined nature is now necessary. I would ask those of us who failed to support their colleagues during the dispute last year to take a look at themselves, their careers and their families, and determine not to continue to play a part in the slow destruction of everything that this career should be. I ask them to stand up for what is right and help stop the deliberate and methodical destruction of our profession that the Swire management has determined is their 'holy grail'. I am an acquiantance of a Swire manager (he feels guilty about being one!), and he tells me that the management of CX is 'rabidly' anti-pilot (his words), and that they wish to see our 'spirit's and our career's brought low (also his words), and that indeed it is a 'personal' goal they hold. Even he is embarassed about the lack of objectivity that is shown by our management, and the 'personalisation' of their malignant intent towards us. There is no room for 'one-sided' negotiation any longer. It leads to further erosion of our conditions, and there is NO CHOICE but to take the battle to their door.... This week has seen Delta Airlines have to cancel over 300 flights A DAY because their pilots are refusing to work overtime (which costs each individual pilot money). Yesterday, Delta management stated that their pilots were GUARANTEED to recieve the BEST contract in the country....(after the United contract that is saying something!). This was not achieved by 'some' of their pilots continuing to help bail out the management and fly overtime. It was achieved by ALL the pilots standing TOGETHER and FORCING their management to RESPECT them and ADDRESS their concerns. WE WILL NEVER ACHIEVE ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL UNLESS WE DO THE SAME.......NOW (in fact, we will guarantee futher devaluation of our careers if we do nothing). Understand this one thing.......our management has NO RESPECT for us, none whatsoever. Until that is re-established, our careers will continue to deteriorate. Those colleagues of mine who joined in the mid to late 80's, I ask of you to no longer sell your souls for a few more bread crumbs from this management. One day you will no longer be here.....and you will then have to live every day of the rest of your lives with the knowledge of what sort of person you lived your life as. To have sold every principle for the sole gain of a few dollars will leave you as sad, lonely and truly tragic men. To have subordinated all self-respect for self-serving, selfish and delusionally percieved 'financial gain' is to have lived your life as a slave. I cannot imagine a sadder comment on a man's life. Many of you failed last year to stand with your colleagues who risked their careers for a higher ideal and justice. You will soon be faced with the opportunity to redeem your own pride and atone for your failings of the past (in light of how our management has acted in the months since, how can anyone suggest that supporting our management back then was not a 'failing'..?). I ask all of you to search your hearts and souls and resolve to stand up for what your concience tells you is the right and honourable course of action. Resolve to no longer live the life of a slave to a management who has no respect for you and in fact holds EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US in TOTAL contempt. Resolve to stop being used by these same people. Resolve to no longer live in fear of them, as they are completely unworthy of your fear. The hypocrisy and contradiction of their policies these past few years is now becoming manifest in the terrible state of the operation as we presently see it, and the low moral of all staff. They know their 'kingdom' is crumbling.....don't help them out of a disaster of their own making. They deserve to be stained forever more with the failure of their arrogance and incompetence. The ONLY HOPE we have of resurrecting our careers as we once knew them is to STAND UP TO THIS TYRANNY. We all know what to do. Let us now do it. OCD