Fly747,
Try looking at European law on the subject and the UK legistlation on TUPE (Google it up). You may be surprised by what you see, putting employees at the bottom of the seniority is illegal.
I won't speculate on the legal aspect, just state the fact that it happens in NAM all the time.
There is also the small problem of retaining 400+ pilots if they do try insulting them in that way and/or condemning them to fly into China forever.
And just what was their future holding for them before CX came around ?
I can only see benefits for all in combining the seniority lists. I cannot see how it will effect anyone's command or other prospects given that the overall fleet will be bigger.
If some KA pilot would like to take a base outside of HKG and he's been longer in CX than me (not that this is about me) don't you think that would affect me. Unless all KA pilots stay in HKG, where the KA fleet is based, I think it will have a huge impact on CX pilots.
This is why a fencing agreement, protection on fleet, seat and base is the reasonable way to solve a merger. Ka pilots will still retain seniority on the own equipment etc. and CX retains seniority on theirs. You bid to the "other" companys equipment, base, seat, whatever it will be with less seniority.
It leaves no one without the same options as before the merger. And it leaves everybody with new options, but at the bottom of the list.
Cider30