Wait a little bit
Ash,
Pay rise?
It has been a very long time since the last pay rise. Negotiations on renumeration and pay integration etc are taking place at the moment so you will have your answer in a couple of months- or longer depending on how long it takes for everyone to agree (although of course not everyone will be happy)
You can guarantee that there will be plenty of discussion on this site over the coming months regarding these negotiations.
Could integrated pay scales really happen?
The company have already proposed an integrated pay scale that was voted down last year so you can expect them to be pushing it again during the current negotiations.
On the recruiting question
As to recruiting I can't comment as I am not tapped in to that vine except to say that the general consensus is that they are particularly short of freighter crews. Somewhere on this forum there was a mention of only 17%? turning up for the interviews.
Qualified people?
Of course if cathay can't (we like to say 'cannot' in HK) attract people it strengthens our position re: pay and conditions but cathay can always just keep lowering the requirements to get the numbers it needs which is bad for us safety/experience wise. So its a double edged sword really.