You're in for a shock
Sorry bretofdfw, I don't want to be a Negative Nellie, but you desperately need to stop assuming that this company runs anything like a US/Canadian/Aussie/European outfit.
For example, regarding your question about commuting, the company seem to tolerate it, but there is absolutely no support for commuters that get stranded, unless you are on a confirmed ticket, which specifically means NOT STANDBY. You are expected to be available for your duty, or it's "morning tea" at the fleet office. Not only that, you are expected to be in HK in enough time to be adequately rested for your next duty, which normally means the day before. That one is a bit harder to police, but if you get caught, as some people have, expect a call from the fleet office.
Quote: I'm used to the US way of bidding
Response: What the hell is bidding? You get what you are given, and you're expected to do it.
There's a request system, which can be, in the words of Mephisto, "In practice, surprisingly reliable." However, it is stressed that it is a REQUEST system - nothing guaranteed.
Although leave (vacation for US people) is a contractual right, it is allocated on a points system, which it seems others have described to you. However, if your requested leave weeks are not available because they are fully subscribed, the company can/will allocate leave to you at a time of their choosing. I know some people who have not had leave for well over a year, and can't get any for the foreseeable future.
Upgrade to FO - not on the -400, unless you want to go freighter. You used to be told which fleet you were upgrading to, end of story, but I believe there is a little bit of flex for fleet preferences. However, unlike other companies, they won't take kindly to you sitting & waiting as an SO for ever to wait for a specific type upgrade. Believe me, once you've been an SO in CX for more than 18 months, you'll be itching for the first available upgrade.
Time to FO varies depending on company requirements. It has gone above 4 years, and some times less than 2 years. With all the new DEFOs, I'd make an educated guess that any new joiner SO today will take 4+ years to FO.
Long haul layovers are normally 24 hrs unless it is illegal under the FTLS, in which case they are forced to make it 48 hrs if it is a daily service, but if it is more than daily, they try to juggle you around to give you less (eg 36hrs). And I do mean forced, if they could save $2 on allowances, they would, they don't care about our rest requirements, or common sense, other than what the FTLS makes them do. Regarding the hotels, they vary. Some (Melbourne springs to mind) are excellent, yet some (Vancouver springs to mind) have very few redeeming features.
Reserve - at Eagle, you might well have been able to bid a non reserve line after a while, but not here. Scroll up a few lines, and re-read my comment on the request system. They try to have this concept of "fair share reserve" which doesn't mean company wide, it means same fleet, rank & base. Very messy, and hard to follow.
Contractually, you are required to do 30 days rostered reserve a year (usually 5 blocks of 6 days) for no credit, after that, there is a partial credit for rostered reserve. However, if they take a trip off you, although they don't necessarily have to give you reserve in place, in practice, you'll get reserve, and that is no credit reserve. This doesn't really come into play much as an SO, but once you're an FO, look out! Trips can be taken off you if there is a change of type for that day, or if it is changed to training, or if the flight is cancelled/merged. As an FO or Capt, you'll also have trips taken off you to avoid going way into overtime, which they're not supposed to do, but they lie & tell you it's training etc etc.
Does this make sense??