Kaptin M, if you are really trying to tell me that the AFAP has the same industrial strength and expertise it had prior to the '89 dispute, then I must bring to your attention couple of changes to the pilot's lot that have taken place down here whilst you have been up there in the land of the rising sun.
1. General aviation in this country has never been worse and it's decline started in 1991. Wages and working conditions have deteriorated because the AFAP do not have the resources or industrial muscle to pull offending Operators into line anymore. This area ie. GA is the biggest section of the AFAP membership. It is not all the union's fault, as some pilots will continue to work for peanuts and bend the rules to stay in a job and more pilots are doing it these days because the AFAP does not represent a threat to the Companies anymore.
2. Virgin pilots work 70 to 80 hours a month, minimum rest on overnights and are paid (Capt. $120,000 & FO. $63,000) nowhere near their domestic opposition Qantas pilots. Do you honestly believe that 13 years ago there would be such a disparity between the two domestic airlines. By the way, the National Jet pilots are also in the Federation and their pay scales are similar and have been for the past 13 years!
It is a fact that any airline will go out of business if it is not managed properly. I have noticed a number of your posts imply that because Ansett didn't tow the AFAP line, that's the reason it went out of business. More than a little arrogant Kap (?) I do concede that because of the length of the dispute, Ansett was severly damaged financially at the time but it had many years to recover had it had good management. IPEC and East West were never realistically expected to survive because of their size, so if it makes you feel better - yes, the AFAP did put them out of business.
You say
Let no-one hold the Australian dispute as an example of successful anti-union strategy.
There is no one I have met in the past 13 years that has held that point of view. I am sure Hawke, Crean or Kelty would have blown their bags had that been the case - deathly silence. The whole thing was a total disaster for everyone in the airline industry and many more associated with it. There were no winners and I have never heard anyone "boast" of a victory over the pilots for the same reasons as above.
My point was and still is - the Cathay Dispute has disturbing similarities to our war of '89. The Company will not talk to the Pilots - FULL STOP. The Recruitment Ban is not working and if this drags on too much longer the new recruits will out number the AOA membership and another good pilot's union will go down the drain.
In this industry, good CRM dictates we learn from the mistakes of others. The HKAOA must change their strategy very soon or..as we have
heard before - the Fat Lady will be priming her vocal chords for the Grande Finale.