I can't believe what I'm hearing.
Take the money ?!!??! WTFO
The offer is designed to divide us into fragments and factions--and then exploit these factions against each other. No more, no less. Some get a LITTLE bit more, some have a pay cut and don't recover it for more than 3 years.
It ALSO locks us in to NO pay rise for 3 years "you want ANOTHER raise ? I just GAVE you one."
And a raise that isn't a raise at all--it doesn't even keep up with inflation. It's a net loss disguised as a "raise." We work more for less--how can one frame THAT into any kind of good deal ?
"Well, they could offer zero" Maybe.....but that'll be a hard one to sell to shareholders when planes wind up parked and the company loses money hand over fist because they REQUIRE goodwill from pilots to keep the place running--and REQUIRE them to work beyond their contract in order solely to break even. If we have to pitch in to keep the place running we should be paid as such; or at least not LOSE money as the years advance--which is exactly what has been happening due to inflation. Companies raise prices to deal with inflation. Our price of fuel has gone up but why not the price of skilled labour ?
How many have seen the price of food go down ? Or housing ? Or transportation ? Or education ? Or insurance ? Or taxes ? Or for commuters their commutes and hotels ? Are the suppliers of these goods and services simply sucking it up and operating at a loss or passing it on to their customers. Why are WE supposed to suck it up ?
Does Boeing lose money on airplanes because they cost more to make in 2014 than 2006 ?
I'm starting to feel like that sales guy on TV who says "I lose money on every deal--how do I do it ? VOLUME !!!" Only this time it's real.
If this damn thing is rammed down my throat I'll answer the phone and work G days; why not ? If we do so we've just PROVEN we can't negotiate or stay together--we've proven we will capitulate at the first sign of difficulty (even preemptively--we haven't even gone IN to CC yet -- yet we're giving up before a shot is fired) and the follow on offers will keep this in mind. White flag now, white flag later on every issue. We'll cave on rostering to protect housing--or maybe the North Americans will get a sweet rostering deal to offset the shiite pay deal and remember how the HKG crew sold them out on the pay end--twice-- for a meager pittance. Or maybe it'll be C scalers against A scalers. Or B scalers against C scalers. Or maybe FO's against SFOs. Or JFOs against SOs. Or CNs against the world. Why would based crew now care and function in solidarity with HKG to keep housing and education because HKG crew sold them out on pay ?
See how it works ?
It's a bad deal and one accepts it at one's own peril.
Last edited by Shep69; 12th Sep 2014 at 01:51.