Just read the AOA update and it will not be just about pay but a COS package. Trust me, this will contain many poison seeds but depends on who it will affect more. There will be a merged F/O pay scale because Captains and Senior First Officers will vote for it because it doe not affect them and they get a pay rise. It’s going to happen. One must think of ones self first, it’s the CX way. Most can’t see how it will affect the future.
I like this quote “In consideration of all this there is still the overriding fact of what our paymasters are prepared to pay.” Just because they can afford to pay A Scale they will not. They don’t have a need to. The freighter ops is working fine and not many pilots leaving, so why pay more? If pilots would stop going above and beyond the call of duty that could change but that is not going to happen is it. CX do not pay unless they are forced to and they are not forced to.
Not sure if the AOA has a choice but increased retirement age is inevitable. Too bad for the younger pilots.
Now from the DFO:
1) a review of market forces and CX pay scales in HKG and the various Base Areas, 2) a review of retirement age - made more topical by the more stringent legal obligations in the Base Areas, 3) a second opportunity for ASL/ABL crew to join the CX seniority list (which was always the plan if CX retirement age was to increase to age 60 or beyond) and 4) an attempt to seek the AOA's support for a unified pay scale for Passenger and Freighter F/Os on bases (the "DEFO" scale). Next week will hopefully see final proposals from each side and, with any luck, an agreement to be put forward to the AOA membership for a vote later in the summer.
On todays show the top 4 reasons why the CX pilots COS are in danger:
Item 4 from the DFO; here comes you merged pay scale, the poison seed. Lets try again
Item 3 from the DFO; just so you know when the last ASL pilots either leaves or is integrated into CX, the Cathay freighter agreement is no longer in effect. Everyone will have to fly the freighter, the poison seed. All those ASL Captains will be operating the 744 pax aircraft therefore taking commands/Bases away from mainline pilots, again the poison seed.
Item 2 Retirement Age, if it is “more stringent legal obligations in the Base Areas” and it is inevitable, why are they negotiating it? Why just implement it like they usually do.
And the number one item on today’s show is Pay: You get paid more than Royal Nepal Airways.
The whole COS vote will have many poison seeds contained within it. Good luck on your vote and your future.
