Junior man - Yes I think we are all aware of how the world works. It does take a lot of effort to tame a human being into an employee. The first thing you have to do is break the human's independent will.
A good way to do this is to give them a weighty policy manual filled with nonsensical rules and regulations. This leads the new employee to become more obedient, fearing that s/he could be disciplined at any minute for something incomprehensible.
Thus, the employee will likely conclude it's safest to simply obey the master's commands without question. Stir in some good office politics for good measure, and we've got a freshly minted mind Slave.
Peasants working for the lords and ladies we may be, but as King Louis XVI should have realised...even peasants can only take so much.
Whilst fresh / old ideas may fall on deaf ears, without feedback there is nothing and times are always changing. It's all very cloak and daggers at the moment. What was naive was to highlight possible improvements as this was sure to get people's backs up. I was hoping to hear more of the great ideas that other legacy airlines have implemented for their crews to make a good comparison. however they were just few feedback ideas both serious and tongue in cheek to ponder for the management.
Mostly however, to highlight the cost wastage I see especially in the checking dept having now gone through the mill (perhaps even cut the line sectors back to 20 or give the trainers the discretion to put people forward earlier for those experienced or competent chaps thus saving time and money). Hopefully however, the clever chaps at our AOA helm are intensely investigating where the company is squandering money and using that knowledge (and potential savings) to power our own demands ......from every area of the company.
Perhaps I should have taken a different tack with this thread - what are the good things with Cathay perhaps? Things that make other airlines jealous of us;
A couple of flight requests a month, the ability to swop and proffer (standard for most airlines). 84 hrs marker is the big one, and apparently some lifestyle choices with W patterns. Short and long jokers....and that's probably about it. With the cash now long gone all that's left is the lifestyle choices as it certainly doesn't pay to be at Cathay over other airlines now with more disposable income to be had at EK and BA for starters (want to be able to change type every 5 years anyone?).
Ratmick - I'm sorry to suggest a replacement to your 'moisturising' spray, you must be one of the few who use it. However, as my female colleagues remind me, a real hydrating moisturising must also have an SPF 25+ to help protect against skin cancer which I forgot to mention, but thanks for the reminder. I'm only suggesting improvements to what you have already chosen to have in place.
One extra idea and one from the cutting room floor is personal Geiger counters for us - as we fall in the top 5% of careers with high radiation exposure. Gov workers are required to wear them by law. I don't trust the company averages and it may turn out that we need to reduce our yearly flight hours significantly in light of new data....worth a study I think just for the knowledge and the possibility of a what if? given concrete personal data.
Pontius - cruise relief pilots will be utilised at BA whilst the back log of training is complete (albeit temporary) They will receive a full (that's full) simulator type rating and 1, 90 day sim to stay current. They will not however be allowed to operate below 20,000ft (second officers to us but cruise relief in name for them) they will go into the RHS 12 months later or sooner if the backlog clears. Last time I looked we also had heavy time SOs coming in with A320 and 737 time. Perhaps to get on the A350 some of our FOs will be willing to go back in the '3rd' seat for a year - it might do some good to remember ....especially those cruise 'commanders' we've all encountered along the way.
Intriguingly Silberfuchs the prospect of working as a top manager at McDonald's gives a monthly salary of £2770 after tax (based on their yearly £45,00 salary) minus £1000 mortgage, £600 food, £200 council tax, and £200 utilities a person would be left with £770 or roughly HK$10,000 disposable income (free healthcare and education). That's certainly more disposable income than an SO and even more than an FO with a family in school with suitable housing on HKPA (depending on cost of housing) ..........and more importantly, a sorry statement for Cathay.
So whilst there is a chance for some to leave I'm sure all who still can are seriously considering the options in lieu of the anticipated HKPA rise.
Preparing scenarios for future HR interviews, raises another idea about the initial Cathay interview...for some reason they keep the old technical drilling, whilst even Airbus are moving away from a high technical knowledge for pilots. Perhaps it shows a motivation to learn and memorise some obscure data only to forget it the next day, much like the old fashion line checks or a Victorian school - an appropriate test of how to fit in. Here's to learning 8500 pages of manuals and being able to recall them at anyone's bidding. Modern aircraft just don't require us to navigate via the stars anymore....more pertinent in today's aviation environment is a HR style interview whereby we can weed out those whom we would rather not sit with for the next 12 hours.
With that note, and enough sport from me I shall remind those who still have a chance and an EASA licence BA require 350 pilots by the end of 2016, and around 200 the following year. EK are also desperate (just the time not counted in the bunk makes us hesitate just one second, but for the extra extra disposable income, 4x4, cheaper western food with massive choice and the 2600 sq ft villa.........). Management take note when you play your HKPA card (will you gamble the 350 will save the discontent?).
So to those whom have lost faith in aviation and still have time it's always nice to have a re-watch.
http://youtu.be/XozHLoqwp_4