An OK article which blows it when stating: "The firing was pure intimidation, a union-bust straight up, designed to be random enough to put the fear in all pilots that they might be next, no reason given," says Capt. Nigel Demery...
What a load of crap! It was not random. Each and every one was carefully chosen. You could be next if you abused sick leave (taking an extra 55 days a year - ie sicka trip a month), broke FTL by traveling ULH to work (Europe to Hong Kong), then operating within hours of arrival in HKG, had a history of unfit conduct (beating up security guards and being bailed out of jail by the Capt)...
Over 200 pilots made the list, the top 49 were chosen. Only an idoit would accept the AOA scare tactics.