I have always believed that the President is a notional position - not a position of power. It shouldn't matter who is in the seat. The President and GC lead where the membership want to go.
2001 vs 2008
In 2001 we had Sep 11, failure of Ansett and most of the owner occupiers were looking at negative equity. B scales had had payrises every year since 1993. We had hong kong employment law. EK salaries were less than ours.
In 2008 we have a world wide shortage of pilots. Owner occupiers are in positive territory. B scales have received a 3% payrise(on some bases) to cover the period Jul01-Dec08. We still have hong kong employment law but CX now have the clouds of 1st world labour laws impinging on their 3rd world labour practices. EK salaries have already risen over 40%(last 5 years) and if the rumours are true, in Apr 08 they will be almost double what they were in 01, and well above CX salaries today. In the last few months, KA have been given payrises amounting to 19+%, sim instructors 13%, ASL FEs 14% and B scales in CX, 3%!
So if I were starting out in CX, I would want to know what sort of future I am going to have. One driven by fear, cronyism, below market pay, but shiny new jets!? If that is the case, why fear anything they may do to you? Since 65 is becoming the industry standard, who cares if you spent the first 5-10 years in CX and the remaining 25-35 years at some other airline?
CX is just a job - with shiny new jets.