Liam
Yep. Your assumptions are correct. The pay deal and the staff travel offer aren't linked. The timing appears to be coincidental. The vote on the 30th is only for the pay deal. Although you can bet there will be some fireworks at the meeting regarding the staff travel deal.
The DPA negotiated the pay deal and that needs a vote. The staff travel deal wasn't negotiated. It was just presented by management one day. I think the introduction is not until next year so everyone will have a while to decide. We don't have a final date yet to accept by. Actually the info we have been given is pretty threadbare. There are a lot of questions being asked with very few answers coming back. Hopefully we learn more this week. Apparently it's a once only offer. You take it and can't go back or you reject it and stay as you are for the rest of your KA carrier.
There may be a few guys making trips to the registry office. It's certainly a quick and easy way to solve their problems. Although not very romantic
The locals don't get the travel fund so it's just the CLS issue for them. Interestingly the standard contract which has been in place for all new joiners in the last 3 years or so does not recognize CLS. It appears KA is falling back in line with the CX masters rather than the other way round. I would say CX is trying to ring fence the remaining crew with CLS.