Howdy Five Green, your post came up as I was writing my previous!
I disagree on your assessment of the non voters. I regularly choose NOT to vote because I don't care which way the vote goes regardless of archaic 2/3rds rules...and I was once a very active GC member. I have spoken to 2 people who didn't vote on the RP07 issue...I can assure you their IQs were quite high...but they were absolutely undecided and they really didn't care(not me....I have a low IQ and I did vote;-). If they had "abstained" it wouldn't have helped in either case!
I do strongly agree with you on this....
for whatever historical reasons, the company has chosen to negotiate with the HKAOA as the representative body for the aircrew. I think in those days, ex AOA GC guys went into management..now they become cat B;-) I digress...this has been the case for 14 years. If you don't like what is happening pay your 1.25% to vote. The only guys who really have a reasonable gripe about this are the ASL guys...the FEs in particular, who couldn't join due age etc. The rest of the guys should put up or shut up!