ToPoChi,
Those were my exact sentiments when I was doing my cadet training in the 70s. I thought I owed MAS everything as they selected me, they'd then look out for me and take care of me.
Well, sad to say they never did. Management had this notion that we were overpaid and that they they were too generous with the benefits (annual leave and 1st class travel). Slowly all these are being taken away. Sadly, Flt Ops management pilots, who are first off all pilots, are involved in this scheme to take away our benefits. Look, everytime we negotiate a new MoU, our increments has been peanuts. That's why we are in this predicament of being once amongst the highest paid in the region to now being one of the lowest.
65% pay increase? Well.. fantasy stuff. In my 26 years with MAS, there was only twice (if my jurasic brains remembers right) that we got a double digit % payrise. That too was around 10%. MAS has refused further negotiations and final offer is at 25%. Reckoned they are going for arbitration. And looking at newpaper articles and so on, the layman on the sreets have the impression that our pay is already excessive (more than the PM even). IMHO, even after arbitration, we're looking at around 25%, if not less (FYI 25% could be the biggest pay rise MAS has ever given).
In the 70s when I was a SO on the F27 based in BKI, MAS seconded some captains from East-West Airways from Australia. They were in the mid 40s and were the best F27 pilots ever in those days! They thought our salary was a joke, but came over nonetheless take a break from "flying in Aussie land" and have a "holiday". 2 years later, East-West took them back.
During one of my annual leave, I went to SYD and caught up with them. I went to one of the capt's house. It was a huge bungalow, by the sea (Sylvania Waters), had this beatifully manicured garden, swimming pool, and parked outside right infront of the house by the jetty was a speed boat and a sailboat. He had 3 cars, 2 luxury sedan and a pick-up. He said he was able to afford all this because his company pays him well. Well, in those days his salary was 3 times more than our local capts already.
But for me, the biggest disappointment is that MAS is hiring expats on the 744s, our premier fleet. If MAS thinks about taking care and looking after their pilots, this would never have happened. I have nothing against the expats, but I feel sad that expats are flying our premier fleet, when it has never happened before and could have been avoided if we had decent, and above all honest management pilots looking after our interest instead of theirs.
ToPoChi, I pity people like you. You are only starting, soon you'll see the real MAS, and you'll be disappointed. But my advise to you, take it a step at a time, and do your best everytime. Get your command and then look around.
My further advise is for the established pilots. KNOW YOUR WORTH. If MAS cannot appreciate your worth to the organisation, there are others that do. It's a pilots' market now, take the opportunity to better your lot and improve the quality of your life. You at least owe your family this.
And you remember those East-West pilots that I was talking about? Well, the Malaysians that are living the equivalent life like the East-West guys are all working for Emirates, Etihad, China Airlines, Korean and so on.
Jolly jolly.
