If you have an EBA in place then both parties are legally bound to adhere to the conditions contained within it, plain and simple.
Just because the 'aspiring' company may choose to try it on really does not hold any water. The employees in this case merely need to say 'no thanks we will stick to the status quo' and their pay increment will still have to be delivered.
As has been said already, both BHA and CHC management have apparently tried this one on already and were politley told 'no thanks' by their Pilots.
The requirement from companies to reneg on a pay increase or other condition in an EBA is due either to lack of cash flow or the protection of the profit margin. It has very little, if anything, to do with redundancies unless the company is in a really dire financial condition.
If the company try to spin the 'we are in financial strife' line then just ask them to prove it by showing your Pilot Reps the books to prove their case. I 'll bet they go quiet pretty quick and you'll get your increment.
Existing contracts also tend to have escalation clauses within them to allow for the renegotiation of rates between the company and the client. However, it is much easier for the company to cut costs internally by attempting to reneg on an existing EBA deal rather than go to the client and ask for more cash.
Stick to your guns 'aspiring' Pilots.
