ACMS
As I am not part of the AOA I can have to let other people do my bidding. Do I get upset when they fail to get me a payrise - Yes. Do I get upset when they fail to uphold by bypass pay - Yes. Do I get upset when they can't adhere to roster practices - Yes. Do I get upset when they let the company walk over good pilots - Yes. Do I get upset when the AOA should be "Working to Order" - Yes. Do I work my G Days - NO!!!, Do I keep an open mind - YES.
I do not want to put my money into an Association that does not listen to my views. When I have approached various CG Members I'm told that they are working on solutions to various problems that are mentioned (Openly) in general conversation around the CX corridors. When asked again some months later about the same problem I'm told that "It's not worth our time to follow up on such issues" and "We would never win" or the classic statement "We don't want to rock the boat".
This is not impressive by any means.
Am I a member of a Union? Yes - I choose to keep my membership in my home country. I still get my legal rights - if I ever have an incident in Japan. The insurance is a joke in HK.
Do I support the AOA - no. It's great to have faith in a system but over the years of constant bickering, back-stabbing, lying etc ... I have lost faith in such a system.
If the AOA ever wanted to go on strike with CX - I would support them. And if the AOA ever wanted to go ahead with contract compliance - then I would also support them. The big question is would they?
And to be brutally honest - if CX pilots went on strike the company would fire everyone. However they would never get pilots to work for them ever again. Two mass firing in less than 10 years! The Swire & Cathay name would be mud in a lot of people eyes. Those people being pilots and customers.
So I continue to watch from the outside and see what happens to my contract and see what the AOA is going to negotiate away. This is a great time to take everything from the company. The ex-Oasis boys aren't going to stay long. Then we are still in the same position that we were last year. Lack of pilots and more planes coming.
The whole DEC's and lower pay conditions is another matter for another topic.
I have thought about your Aussie comment - Not a bad title but do I have to support their cricket team? The women's beach volleyball team I could support.