In case you hadn't noticed we are all on the same payscale,
That depends very much on how you look at it. You are getting into terms and definitions of words in the dictionary. Definitely management material there! The CEPs have argued about their income package. They do not really care what the company call it or how they receive it but at the end of the day it allows for two different standards of living; one for expats and one for locally employed pilots. So call it housing, special allowance, localisation benefits etc, and give it via cash, paying a mortgage, stock options etc... they don't really care.
What of those CEPs that earn 'A' scale??? Do you hear any 'B' scale expats berate them???
Actually yes, all the time I hear B scalers berating the A scale. Not the individuals as such but just the circumstances that have allowed there to be an A and a B scale. If you have spent any time on a Cathay flight deck especially through times of industrial turbulence then you will know exactly what I mean, unless of course you are one of those worrying about your two yachts.
and the expats have been made an easy target, so pardon us if we don't have any sympathy to what is being seen as an unreasonable demand.
Once again this is what I do not understand. Expats are not being made a target of anything. No-one is trying to take anything away from expats. The locals are trying to narrow the gap by bringing their standards towards yours. If you cannot stand the thought that they had their training paid for by the company and are able to earn a package closer to an expats then to me that is pure envy no two ways about it. You can't stand the thought that there are some pilots out there who might grasp the opportunity to make their lives better for themselves.
The argument that the company has trained these people from scratch and therefore indebted to this wonderful company for life is absolute rubbish. How are expats any different? It is claimed that locals are given a wonderful opportunity and that is absolutely correct, but how about expats? They are not given a wonderful opportunity? Most people joining these days build their hours flying pieces of crap in countries with few opportunities for quick access to jet airliners (nevermind widebodies). By your own admission it has been tough with a low income. So, along comes this company who is willing to employ you as a foreigner, pay you an expat package, send your kids to good schools, pay for a mortgage to a property which can make you millions when you leave Hong Kong and somehow you are not grateful for this great opportunity? They allow you to fly shiny jets and have a decent life instead of not even being able to afford gas for your car, or your electricity bill but somehow this same company which has given an opportunity to a different group of people would be wrong for rewarding those people with a bit more than they receive even though it is still miles away from what expats receive? Can you pull your head out of your bottom for long enough to see?