Here is the entire news story as it appeared in The Straits Times (remember, if it is in the Straits Times, it MUST be true):
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JUNE 26, 2002
It's not business as usual for SIA pilots
They may have to rest in economy-class seats instead of business-class ones, due to the installation of new SpaceBeds
By Nicholas Fang
TRANSPORT REPORTER
SINGAPORE Airlines' (SIA's) new SpaceBed seats, which transform into beds to offer passengers a more restful flight, have sparked an angry dispute between the airline and its pilots.
The pilots are unhappy that pressure on cabin space caused by the installation of these seats has prompted management to ask them to take rest breaks in economy class, if no other seats are available, instead of business class.
They argue that this breaches an earlier deal with the pilots' association.
The Air Line Pilots Association Singapore (Alpa-S), which represents some 90 per cent of SIA's 1,600 pilots, said in a statement to its members last week that SIA's action was 'a violation of the collective agreement'.
It added that 'the company's unilateral action demonstrates a lack of good faith' and that it had 'no option but to withdraw all forms of goodwill and co-operation it has extended to the company'.
In the report to members, Alpa-S said that after presenting SIA's management with this statement at a meeting last week, its executive council 'walked out of the meeting in protest'.
The Straits Times understands that under a collective agreement dating back to the late 1980s, pilots on long-haul flights are entitled to one or two business-class seats to rest in during a flight.
The number of seats depends on whether there are augmented crews with two captains and one first officer, or double crews with two captains and two first officers. For the former, one seat would be blocked off, while in the latter, two seats would be allocated.
These seats are provided in addition to crew rest bunks which are available for horizontal rest.
SIA argues that the change is needed for commercial reasons.
In a statement obtained by The Straits Times, SIA senior vice-president for flight operations Raymund Ng told pilots late last month that the cut in business-class seat capacity would cause a 'strong commercial imperative to optimise revenue from the sale of, and increased passenger demand for, these enhanced seats'.
SIA's management had sought the support of Alpa-S in February for the additional pilot or pilots in augmented or double crews to be allocated economy-class seats, he said.
'We believe such an alternative arrangement falls within the provision of the pilots' collective agreement.
'Crew rest seats are intended for the pilots to relax or eat their meals outside the flight deck. Crew rest bunks are for horizontal rest. Hence, the lie-flat SpaceBed feature is not a requirement with respect to fulfilling in-flight rest for pilots,' he said in the statement.
When contacted yesterday, SIA said: 'We are having talks with Alpa-S about the utilisation of SpaceBeds and hope there will be a quick resolution to the issue.'
The new seats - to become standard features in SIA's business-class-equivalent Raffles Class cabins on long-haul flights - take up extra space, causing a reduction in the number of seats.
In a Boeing 747, business-class seats will be cut to 50 from 58.
SIA had suggested earlier that if pilots were allocated economy-class seats, these would have ample legroom and more than one seat would be blocked off for each pilot.
Pilots will also be given business-class seats depending on availability ahead of passenger and other staff upgrades. And if the business-class section is full after the aircraft doors are closed, unoccupied first-class seats would then become available for use by the pilots.
Copyright @ 2002 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
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One thing is for sure, don't expect any semblance of democracy even from the pilot's association.
Many will remember how at the association meetings regarding the last pay rise, votes were called by asking for a show of hands. This meant that anyone who had a shadow of doubt about the motion would be identified if he did not put up his hand. In other words, a good proportion of those who put their hands up to "vote" yes to a motion were actually cowed into doing so.
Same thing happened again during the meetings on the "voluntary" contribution to the fund to defend the SQ006 pilots. Voting by show of hands as to whether to proceed with this "contribution". It was extortion, nothing less.
I can predict the same routine yet again. Make threats about a "go slow", but when it comes to the vote, all talk and no show. And then proclaim that "it is the wish of the membership" as shown from the "votes".
Bully tactics from management and bully tactics from the association. What a scam.