Tornado Ali.....well said totally agree. It was an issue which was almost unsolvable and because of entrenched and divided views the company knew it and once again unilaterally imposed a fix to suit themselves with massive cost savings straight into the bottom line.
The money spent on bypass pay and productivity gains from increased retirement age should have been bundled up and used for increasing increments particularly for first officers and the cutting salaries based on age, should have been stopped in its tracks.
However CX got what they wanted.....increased retirement age and by pass pay being funded by age discrimination pay cuts to those over 55 and increments cutting out way too early. Our inability (mainly our younger crew) to recognize that it was inevitable RA 55 was history has led us to kicking an own goal or two.
In the mean time I am curious to know ...is bypass pay still being paid out to folks on a base who have not accepted a command in Hong Kong?