"Should you have any questions..." You can ask them but they won't be answered. I e-mailed them the other day with a few specific questions and was told they did not have time to reply to my e-mail. Great- they have a ban which is seriously affecting my career but they don't have time to answer my questions!? Being a member of an IFALPA affiliated union, as far as I'm concerned they have a duty to answer my questions.
By their own argument the ban was implemented as a result of the 49 guys being fired. Fair enough, but does that mean the ban will lifted once the 49th guy has broken it? I can't see how no.50 will be replacing a 49-er. The AOA can't answer that question either.
It is also stated that the AOA is doing everything to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. I'd love to know what because at the moment from what I can gather the only thing they are doing is using my career and going about their day to day lives. Checking on the AOA website, the 'latest' piece of info is dated somewhere in April if I remember correctly. This ban is going to go on for a long time at this rate. I can't see how Cathay management will come to the table because at the moment they are still finding guys to fill the courses and they are not being hurt in any other way. So it seems for them it's business as usual. On this I could also get no answer to my questions.
Speaking to friends in Cathay( pre-ban) they all say I should change my no to a yes. This apparently is also what is said by other more senior guys in the company. So it seems the AOA line is that of a few operating on their own. I have also spoken to guys I know who are post ban. None have reported any trouble or unpleasantness and have been there now from just after the ban was implemented.
I think this ban started off well and if the AOA was seen to be taking other courses of action then perhaps it would be working but I am considering changing my no to a yes. The AOA are not answering my questions, keeping me informed, they don't seem to be taking any other action- so this thing is going to go on for ever, I would not be a 49 or below ban breaker(never mind how a SO fills a FO or Capt position- but thats another issue) , and those that I know who have broken the ban have had no trouble at all.
Why should'nt I?