Insight!!!
Read this post and thought of some things that i would like to pass on to those looking into Cathay....
I am an Aussie FO (ex GA/Regional) up here in Hongkers and although i dont really agree with this ban i can see the purpose. We dont have many industrial options here and some of these silly games that we get up to are out of necessity rather than for the hell of it. It is though, very unfortunate that some great pilots are affected by this ban and instead of hurting the company it is hurting those pilots.
I would just say that if you are thinking about joing the mayhem up here have a really good think about it. The union ban is a big thing and i can tell you in some countries we fly to, they will make you liable for any problems that are caused by your aircraft and as has happened in the past some unions have managed to save some asses. Another point is that Hong Kong is a very difficult place to live in as it is, the locals here dont want us, the management hate us and our own ground staff hate us too!!! Now add to this half the pilot population that will make life more difficult, makes for some very uncomfortable conditions for the new joiners!!! Remember too that alot of our Check+Trainers are avid union members and have lost close friends in the 49ers, can imagine what they will think.
The IALPA ban was imposed after some advice from IALPA and as i said i dont really agree with it, i have to go along with the unions advice because i do believe we have to fight the greed of our management and their total disregard for our contract and Conditions of Service. You just have to look to the USA at Worldcom and the likes of Enron to realise that these CEOs will do and say about anything to line their own pockets and that of their shareholders............stuff the workers!!!!!!!!!
So, have a good long term look at this before just jumping in. If you think still that you need to get the job then good luck, i for one would never call you a scab, i just felt that i needed to pass on to you some of the realities you will face. Remember that if it does prove to be too much crap for you to handle, youll have an international ban hanging over your head and you just have to ask an ex Ansett pilot what that feels like now!!!!