A little late!
Nigel,
Your letter is very informative of the struggle you have endured with management over the past several years. I sympathise and better understand the situation in Cathay Pacific but I wish I had the privilege of this understanding months ago.
I joined Cathay Freighters two years ago and joined the union as a way of attaining LOL insurance. My experience with unions was minimal and I must say the animosity towards freight drivers was at times extreme. I received little information from the union and at times wrong information concerning payment of the 5% for freighter pilots.
Your letter is a little late because months ago I quit the union. I like others on the freight side have received little information about the fight or the history of the fight. I might add that I have almost 300 pilots hired after me and I doubt they are informed of the history any better than I was up until TODAY!
Communication is key in this struggle and the union has failed miserably to inform hundreds of new members with the kind of information posted above.
If you want to win this fight then bury the hatchet with ASL and bring them on-side with membership in the union. Also, reach out to pilots like myself and show us that we are part of the team and not just "those darn freight guys". This can begin by educating all the passenger pilots with the difference between Cathay Freighters and ASL. I still get asked sorely how long it takes for me to get a command on freighters. My answer is received in shock as "the same as you".
In closing, I again feel sympathy for the 49rs and their families but I feel that a lack of accurate and timely communication has failed us all.