Ever occurred to anybody, that if nobody signs, the Master roster freighter patterns will not work anymore. Sure, they could PT everyone like on the YVR base, but that would increase cost significantly. So the obvious solution is to rework the freighter patterns, pushing for more productive patterns and adjust the staffing on some bases. A couple bases might be reduced, for example LAX has too many 747 FO's, but other base vacancies might open in the basings area or they might even bring preferred ports across country borders back. Maybe even more 777 conversions on bases. Sure it sucks if you are junior, but thats what seniority is for and CX surely abused that principle. Of course YVR 747 is greatly overstaffed, however I can't see them change anything until the collective agreement is signed.
I always wondered why CX never gave 3 months notice to our current RP's and roster us under AFTL's as it seems we can't get to an agreement. That wouldn't work either as suddenly there would be no EXB's, O and A days to roster.
Personally I think not signing is the only option. We actually helping CX to safe money that way, forcing them to redesign the inefficient and unproductive freighter rosters, maybe even fix the present basings situation. Both parties win, CX will safe cost, the pilots have shorter and more productive patterns, less or no PT/PX and no sitting around in ANC or HKG for endless days.
But of course, then there is the option of the "that's how we do business in Hong Kong" way, saving face and showing the strong hand, making rosters worse regardless of cost. However, that doesn't help the bottom line and I am pretty sure that this is CX's priority in todays market - reducing cost.