Over the last 3-4 years SIA have done everything they can think of in terms of procrastination to avoid either reaching an agreement with the pilots on both the bonus formula and back-pay or on actually paying it out. Additionally, last year was the first year of a new agreement on the bonus and the company tried to change it the day the pofits were announced.
If one looks at the cuts they are now imposing it can be seen that they are winding the clock back about 4-5 years to a position before the current agreements, so they never intended to honour them anyway, in fact I doubt if they can spell 'honour'!
This is a situation the Dear Doctor will love, screwing the pilot workforce, that is why the pilot's union is insisting on 'trigger points' in the company's future financial performance that will re-instate all agreements as at 10th Sept 2001. Exactly what the Dear Doctor would like to avoid.