RAVEN 11 AND Joe Shmoe....well said. I would like to take to task the culprit motion. Blue = motion Green = Cyril
Dear Members of the HKAOA,
As you may be aware, the General Committee of the HKAOA has agreed to fund the legal costs of Captain MacIlroy in his appeal to the UK Employment Tribunal to have the retirement age increased for Cathay Pacific Pilots to 65 Years of age. Yes and the GC debated it long and hard, you and the those that support your motion obviously have No Confidence in the decision nor the GC.
Whilst I believe Captain MacIlroy is entitled to his day in court, I strongly oppose the HKAOA funding an action which is; He is entitled to the basic principal of equal opportunity and not to be age discriminated against, a fact publicly recognised by our representatives. It is an absolute disgrace that a few fellow union members seek to take away this fundamental benefit or right. Probably the second lowest act a pilot can do to his fellow pilot.
1/ In contravention to the very Conditions of Service that the AOA should seek to protect. The conditions of service that were signed some 2 decades ago have not kept pace with Age discrimination,and Sexual Discrimination laws just to name two. A few years back CX did not employ any female cockpit crew, times caught up with them and they did the morally correct thing. Many things with respect to racial and other types of discrimination have evolved in both a legal and moral sense since. You could actually smoke in the flight deck to when we joined but times changed! The COS cannot override the law and that is the crux of the appeal.
2/ Has the potential to adversely affect the career progression, earnings and basing opportunities of the vast majority of AOA members and Cathay Pacific pilots in general. That is a sweeping and untrue statement. A few posts back there was some pretty convincing numbers that career earnings are potentially significantly greater. I will expand on BPP in a later post however in General BPP will be potentially paid for life to the vast majority of those deemed unsuitable for command and genuine bypassed crew will not see a cent anyhow. Those in HKG may not see any BPP
Whilst any legal victory for Captain MacIlroy would initially only impact those pilots based in the UK the immediate effect would be ;
1/ Bypass pay for UK based First Officers would not be payable unless a captain is retained beyond 65 years of age. (currently 55 years) Maybe maybe not it is still in your COS
2/ The possibility that those UK based pilots working beyond 55 years would not generate bypass pay for pilots in Hong Kong and the other bases as it would be very unlikely that a court would inflict the financial burden of both RA65 and bypass pay on the company. Wake up it is pretty much going to those on a base with not intention of doing a command.
3/ Basing opportunities would reduce significantly due to older pilots remaining on the base due to RA 65.
Furthermore, should Captain MacIlroy succeed in his appeal, the legal precedence would certainly be used in other jurisdictions resulting in similar degradations to your Conditions of Service. Not being discriminated based on age is hardly a degradation to my COS.The moral obligation would be intense not to age discriminate, welcome news in this modern new world.
I am therefore calling for an online EGM to be held to vote on the following motion:
"Be it resolved that the membership of the HKAOA hereby authorises the funding of legal fees for Captain MacIlroy in his appeal to the UK Employment Tribunal."
The rules of the HKAOA require that the motion be worded in the "positive". I would therefore strongly recommend that you vote AGAINST the motion in order to protect you COS.
I would recommend that those that support this disgraceful divisive and selfishly motivated motion and whom add their name to the list of shame have a good hard think about it. It is simply a fact the case will proceed with or without the AOA funding and all of the above is likely in any event. It is the trail of destruction you create in the interim that is of greater concern. Do the honourable thing and withdraw it at the very least until you have seen the AOA proposal to sort the mess out.