Letter from Ken.

[Thrust]

The following is a letter from the DFO to the HKAOA.


27th February 2001

Captain N J Demery
President – HKAOA
CX CLK

Dear Captain Demery

Following our meeting last Thursday, I feel I should summarise, in general terms, the Company position.

At a meeting held last year with your predecessor, Captain Pleavin, the Company stated that it was committed to uphold all aspects of the three year deal signed in 1999, but was prepared to review some aspects of the third year should economic circumstances permit.

Notwithstanding your various letters on the subject, our position remains unchanged as to the status of the deal. However, we are prepared to review some aspects of remuneration and benefits pertaining to the year commencing 1st July 2001 as follows:-

In general terms we are prepared to return the salary given up in the third year by pre 1993 crew as a dollar amount based on productive hours worked. We propose a flat hourly rate by rank based on the average concession of the pre 1993 crew. Naturally it would be more advantageous to individuals if this money was linked to a credit hour system and there is therefore incentive on both parties to conclude Roster Practice talks.

We are also prepared to pay this hourly rate to post 1993 crew and estimate that this will add approximately 5% to their salary in addition to the 3% increase under the three year agreement. The exact percentage will of course vary depending on seniority and Base Area. If considered appropriate, each individual crew member could add this amount towards their retirement benefits.

You have expressed concern at the retirement value of those crew who are members of CPAPF93/VETA. We believe that any meaningful discussions on industry standard retirement benefits must be linked to discussions on industry standard retirement age and I would be very happy to discuss this issue with you.

I am happy to discuss this offer in more detail and propose that we meet on Tuesday 6th March at 14:30. If this time is convenient to you, we can make the necessary adjustments to your roster.


Yours sincerely
Captain K R Barley
Director Flight Operations.

What about that then. KB will give the a-scalers some money back for more productivity. The b-scalers will be able to earn more for more work too. If it wasn't for the first 2 years of cuts I might be interested. Management are getting desperate I see. Get stuffed Ken. Roll on March 31.

[10sne1]

Hey Ken; There are a lot more things to talk about than just retirement age if we are going to get an 'industry standard' deal. I for one (as a b-scale) don't think that working for another 5 years is the answer to our crappy retirement deal. Keep up the fight boys, he can only offer more cookies! When the jar gets full then we'll talk.

1 down 30 to go!

[cheklapsap]

Heh Ken,
You better improve on that if you want to ward off the kick in the guts we're going to give you. Keep trying, maybe you'll get there?
Love,
The Troops

[fodder]

I would like to thank Ken for his letter regarding the reinstatement of our pay. However bearing in mind that it was stolen at gunpoint in the first instance. Linking it to productivity, is akin to being robbed and then the thief knocks at your door offering to sell your property back to you for a price.
Why can't this company admit that they made a mistake , make a magnanimous gesture , and simple cancel the next round of pay cuts, without any strings attached ?????

Everything that they do just rubs salt into the wounds, and inflames even more resentment.

Personally I do not want to work any harder, I'm a breaking point right now, to say nothing of continually banging up against legal limits all the time. I no longer have a social life, scarcely see my family and walk around permanently tired. It cannot continue much longer, and as far as I am concerned the quicker we reach critical mass the better.

In case anyone missed the picture on the front page of the Flyleaf, study it very carefully. Looks to me like there are an awful lot of Cathay Tails parked in that photo. A gentle reminder of two years ago!!!!! Or perhaps prophecy of what could happen in the very near future??
The time has come to settle this thing one way or the other. I am hoping that the company will move to bring us back on side without an ugly confrontation but I'm ready to do what ever it takes to obtain a resolution. The only reason that I go to work these days is for the money. I'm beginning to question if that is even worth it any more

[jagman]

The arrogance of this Management is beyond belief. If conditions permit KB to review the next pay cut (actually it's not HIM that's reviewing anything - he's just the puppet) then it should be reviewed and cancelled. It should not be linked to ANOTHER change in our COS.
If we have anything to do with that rubbish then it's our own fault and we deserve whatever happens to us next.
I agree though they are a bit desperate.

[This message has been edited by jagman (edited 05 March 2001).]

[The Resistance]

nice to see you know how to stand and fight 'still kickin'.....! This management is on borrowed time. The operation is falling apart, our tempers are frayed, and there is a new found determination and understanding that the only way to establish a proper career at this miserable airline is to force this management out. It is a further indictement of our management that they are oblivious to the undercurrent of anger and fury that has developed in the pilot group. I might add that the angriest are in fact the B-scalers, who are not content to be second class citizens of the pilot fraternity any more. Barley, Rhodes and the other pathetic managers of the Flight Crew have ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE of getting our co-operation. Every time they try to 'tighten the screws' and attempt to degrade our lifestyles only increases our anger, and our determination to see them fall. This will end with one side losing......and I think with an airline embarking on expansion, the losers will be the incompetent management that has managed to get 1400+ pilots completely and utterly offside..... Let's see....who does this airline need more....?, 1400+ pilots.....or 4 or 5 discredited and despised managers... Gee, that's a tough one to answer.

[BigTimeWannabe]

As an outsider can I ask a simple question? This may anger you guys more, but here goes. During tough times in the Airline and you guys only getting minimal profit share. How big a bonus did these managemnet people give themselves?

That's a thought isn't it?

BTW

[This message has been edited by BigTimeWannabe (edited 05 March 2001).]

[indeepsht]

Resist.... I do believe that "still kickin" did the right thing by moving on!

Stand and fight! Ya right who are we/ you trying to kid? The best way to deal with this management is flick them the bird and walk away!

This aircrew body has shown no resolve in the past what makes you think this time it's going to be any different??

Ya / Ya we had a sick out in '99. So what!Guy's were being threatened with their jobs.

What's our argument this time? We don't like the same crappy rosters that we've been working for... How long??

I am sure that when the time comes to stand up to this management the great majority will once again roll over!!

This is BULL****! All we are asking for is a rostering agreement! Is this too much to ask for?

COMMON COS for ALL would be nice! But at least I know I'm dreaming....

[jagman]

So what's wrong with another sick-out.
Quite legitimate too when you consider some of the appalling rosters some guys have had to endure.

[US Marine]

the resistance

perhaps you could add the freighter contingent as a bit of competition for being really pissed off with pay...they fly heavyweight as a matter of course, earn masses for the company in revenue terms and get paid, b scale, in their dreams. roll on the revolution!

[ASLr]

I think it is more like D scale.

[IndianaJones]

The 3.something % increase for the freighter guys was an insult.......especially when the company reports "record profits".
I think you're correct.........you can add the freighter guys to the group of unhappy pilots.
If another job action arrives it will be more effective this time as about half of the freighter pilots are CX now and a lot of them AOA members.