While everyones' mouths are dropping at the figures put on the table, what I'm astonished at is the fact that when HR were queried on what the company's expectations were for productivity/hours worked by the pilot group in return for these figures, their response was "38 hour week."
In other words, the people representing HR and the company in these negotiations simply have no concept of the working hours and environment of a professional pilot. If we're going to go down that path, does this mean we should now be pushing for time-and-a-half pay for weekends? How about double-time for public holidays too? Or are we now going to close down over Christmas and Easter?!?
I say exploit their ignorance.