Then and now.
Just been reminiscing about life before CX.
In Australia in 1992:
Petrol was about 49c/Litre
Average wage was about $30,000
Median house price was $148,000.
In Australia in 2007:
Petrol is around $1.30/Litre
Average wage is about $55,000
Median house price is about $400,000+
In UK in 1992:
Petrol was about 46p/Litre
Average wage was about GBP24,000
Median house price was GBP70,000.
In UK in 2007:
Petrol was about 96p/Litre(2006 figure)
Average wage was about GBP54,000
Median house price was GBP220,000.
Seems like things have doubled to tripled over the last 15 years.
How about CX salaries.
HK 1992:
CX SFO 1 $73K (monthly)
CX CN 1 $106.6 (monthly)
CX UK/AUS 1994(first year of basings)(annual earnings)
CX UK SFO 1 GBP 88,000
CX UK CN 1 GBP127,000
CX AUS SFO 1 $184K
CX AUS CN 1 $268K
CX 2007(all inc HDP)
HKG SFO1 $73K (monthly)
HKG CN 1 $103K
UK SFO 1(B) GBP 66K (annual)
UK CN 1(B) GBP98K
AUS SFO 1(B) $137K (annual)
AUS CN 1(B) $205K
So after 15 years, B scales in HKG have caught up with A scales in 1992. By the way, we received payrises in 1993,94,95 on HKG A scales.
After 13 years, the UK based salaries are only 23-33% less than the 1994 based salaries for A scales. But this is better than in Australia where the current salaries are 30-40% behind the 1994 salaries.
So if the payrises are of the order of 30-40% then the B scale will finally have caught up with the based salary scales of 1994. Hong Kong only needs to get 15-18% payrises to catch up with A scale in 1994.
Given the gap, I think the only realistic way to get the scales to merge is further A scale cuts. At the moment, current A scale rates after the cuts are set at about 1994 levels.
clear as mud?