No bases are not dead. Not officially...
Instead, like the potential for profit share, a future base will be dangled like a carrot for only those that sign the new deal. The threat will be: only if you sign the new COS can you be eligible for a future base ("when they are offered"). If you don't sign you will never be "offered" a future base (you and your current COS will "wither on the vine" in Hong Kong...or words to that effect).
Oh, and if you sign the new deal you will be eligible for future profit share.....if you don't sign...no future profit share for you.
Furthermore, the 13th month bonus will be included in the new reduced pay package. Just like it was in 1999 on the bases. Only in Cathay do they call a pay cut a bonus....
They've done this all before. The only difference this time is that they are heralding the fact that we can do this in a collaborative fashion by taking a seat at the High Performance Engagement table....
The HKAOA needs to walk away from this farce, retain CC and the TB, and come back in two years.