C-scale
Apparently it is common opinion among the AOA GC that lowering t&c for new-joiners eventually kicks back and erodes t&c of the other guys.
However, if you look at CX's policy of the past, they tend to respect "grandfather rights" ( fair enough, since that is what you signed up for ).
For instance, A-Scale continued for many years after it was altered into B-scale for new-joiners. (no pay increase over the years, I know, but it was still A-scale).I am aware that this is a sensitive topic, I am not saying the company treated the case the way it should have, of course!
With hindsight one can probably argue that A-scale wasn't a competitive salary anymore ( from a company perspective), proof would be the vast numbers of people who joined on B-scale afterwards. Would CX still be in the market if they would pay A-scale today ? Almost certainly, we know that pilots wages are only a relative minor part of overall cost. But would it be a reasonable management strategy ? Certainly not, since the pilots market changed and it was possible to recruit on B-scale fairly easily.
Now I understand the company is in the process of introducing a C-scale, basically all new-joiners on no/reduced housing.
Why is this a problem for the presently employed pilots?
Now, do not get me wrong, I would certainly prefer to see everybody on housing, including all the former cadets in CX today, but that is simply not what they signed up for. Also everybody interested in CX today is in the position to make up his/her mind about the current conditions and the suitability of the latter.
I personally would never ever join CX without a housing package, my previous job would have been simply more rewarding ,financially and in regard of time to command. Also, on top of that,CX will always have to pay me a slight premium if working for them requires me to live abroad, period.
But that is just me. If the pilots market today supplies enough boys and girls willing to work for these conditions, well, I can't say I like it, but who can blame a business for adapting their hiring policies?
Additionally, there are opportunities:
- less pressure on the pilot wage budget, finally some well deserved pay rise ( given the fact we did not receive anything significant over the last decade or so ,it is actually ridiculous to even call it a pay rise, but that is a different story )
- no incentive for the company to start (or buy) a subsidiary with a lower cost level ( and to expand there, like so many European and NA carriers)
My suggestion:
contractual agreement to preserve "grandfather" rights plus inflation index coupling of pay