The Resistance
4th May 2001, 09:30
This is copied from the Fragrant Harbour Forum......makes for sad reading.smallwing, thank you for your contribution. I would like to give you just one of many examples of the appalling treatment I have suffered from this management. I joined this airline in 1987. Over the first 7 years of my career, I did all that was asked of me. I worked on day's off to cover a flight so that it wouldn't have to cancel. I went to work during Typhoons on day's off to move the aircraft to other airports around the region so that they would not incure damage. I FLEW during appalling conditions into Kai Tak, holding the lives of 400+ passengers in my hands, and delivered them safely to thier waiting family members (those of you who have been passengers during an arrival during a typhoon know exacltly what I am talking about). I sacrificed the opportunity to be living in my home country, and accepted the compromise of living in HK because it was worth it to work for the best airline in the world. In 1994, CX offered us the opportunity of living back in my home country. The deal was as follows: I would maintain my present salary (more about that later), but would have to pull out of the provident fund (lump sum pension payout). If I was to stay with CX, living in HK until retirement at age 55, I would realise a healthy lump sum payout. CX told us that if we were to opt for a home basing, we would be forced to pull out of the provident fund, but would be payed 15.5% of our salary in lieu. Most of us did the 'sums'....and, as I was only 39 at the time, I opted to give up the possiblity of the provident fund, and committed to saving the 15.5%, and some of my regular salary, in the hopes of investing to provide for me and my families retirement. Sounds ok so far...? Well, what happened was this. After 3 years on the base, in March of 98, I recieved a letter from our management that said, in not so many words the following: Choose either of these options. a) accept a 33% paycut! b) come back to HK (but NOT back into the provident fund....how convenient for the company!) c) be terminated after June 11 if I had not accepted either a or b.
So....after almost 11 years of loyal service, and having bet my families future on moving back to my home base and pulling out of the provident fund, the company was subjecting me to a 33% pay cut, WHICH incidentally, was exactly the amount of money I was putting aside for retirement, as that was the amount I figured I would have to save to make up for not being in the provident fund. The company's excuse for this were: a) the company was in 'dire' financial difficulty b) we were the 'highest' paid in the industry, and grossly overpaid at that.
Facts: we long ago lost the title 'worlds highest paid' aircrew. In 'real' terms, the new Delta contract has an 'equivalent' pilot earning 2.5 times as much as me. I fly on average 80 hours a month (with another 80-90 hours of duty that never seems to be mentioned by our management when telling the public how much I 'work' in a month...). A Delta Captain fly's on average 55 hours a month. He is paid a base salary that is 1.5 times mine. He has a pension plan that will pay him over 4 million USD in retirement. I have one that will pay me.... '0'. I have no say over where I fly, or what days I get off. The Delta Captain has complete control over both.
Back to the main point. After 11 years of loyal service, I get a letter telling me, sign or be fired.... Very nice. On top of this, the reasoning for it is proven only 6 months later to be complete and utter dishonesty. CX has just turned in it's highest profit in it's 55 year history. That's some financial crisis. Oh, did CX management tell you that they are subjecting us to ANOTHER paycut in June...? Probably not. Even less chance of being secure in retirement. Now, they decide to implement their newest program designed to intimidate and threaten us. Called the 'Absence Management Program', it contains the following statement. 'Any pilot who reports sick more than 5 times, will be DENIED the opportunity to apply for an overseas basing, and his 'promotional' prospects will be compromised'. Well, the ONLY consequence of this ill-considered threat is that you will now have MANY CX aircraft being crewed by ill and disabled aircrew. Many of us will not wish to risk their careers by incurring the wrath of this venal management (intimidation and threat from management have been increasing over the past few years in step with each attempt to devalue our careers). Next time you get on board a CX aircraft, chances are one or more of the aircrew could be physically impaired. With the appalling schedules we have been labouring under, many of us are 'naturally' becoming fatigued, and physically unwell. Instead of the management trying to find ways to improve the terrible work conditions they have generated, their answer is to try and threaten us even further.
So, over the past few years I have been subjected to:
a) erosion of my working conditions
b) intimidation and threats
c) threat of termination
d) 33% paycut, after being tricked out of my provident fund
e) a deliberate devaluing in the eyes of the public and the other employee groups in CX
f) reduction of my families medical benefits
g) another paycut coming in June
h) complete and utter disruption of my lifestyle with no ability to schedule my family life
i) inability to plan for retirement
....needless to say, I could go on. I appreciate the publics concern about any disruption to CX's service. I just hope that an open minded individual can understand just some of what I have written about, and perhaps accept that most of us are at our wit's end.....and that the latest program regarding sickness is in fact putting THEIR lives at a greatly increased risk. Perhaps you could call CX management and ask them to explain all of this. When they try to tell you that 'we' are the unreasonable ones....just consider that CX has managed to turn the most loyal, professional aircrew in the industry (which directly results in the highest safety standards) into the most unhappy, disillussioned group in the industry with the highest sick rate. Ask your self this: If we were the former, who's fault is it that we are now the later? We have no choice but to take action to protect our futures, and the public's safety. I tell you this last statement in all honesty: Over the past few years, I have felt forced (remember, threats and intimidation) to fly many times when feeling ill, fatigued and generally 'not with it'. In one case I felt so ill on approach into HK that I became dizzy and had to have the co-pilot take over. I can tell you with deadly seriousness that this is happening frequently with different pilots in this company, and will only increase in frequency. Scare tactics.....? Well, what do YOU think the consequence of the new 'Absence Management Program' will be...? This management has lost all in the way of morals and integrity. A tragedy is imminent. A temporary shutdown of this airline is the least of worries for the public of HK. I weep for what this airline has become......but the people at the front of the aircraft are the best in the world at what we do....led by the worst of managements. Please support us.
[This message has been edited by The Resistance (edited 04 May 2001).]
So....after almost 11 years of loyal service, and having bet my families future on moving back to my home base and pulling out of the provident fund, the company was subjecting me to a 33% pay cut, WHICH incidentally, was exactly the amount of money I was putting aside for retirement, as that was the amount I figured I would have to save to make up for not being in the provident fund. The company's excuse for this were: a) the company was in 'dire' financial difficulty b) we were the 'highest' paid in the industry, and grossly overpaid at that.
Facts: we long ago lost the title 'worlds highest paid' aircrew. In 'real' terms, the new Delta contract has an 'equivalent' pilot earning 2.5 times as much as me. I fly on average 80 hours a month (with another 80-90 hours of duty that never seems to be mentioned by our management when telling the public how much I 'work' in a month...). A Delta Captain fly's on average 55 hours a month. He is paid a base salary that is 1.5 times mine. He has a pension plan that will pay him over 4 million USD in retirement. I have one that will pay me.... '0'. I have no say over where I fly, or what days I get off. The Delta Captain has complete control over both.
Back to the main point. After 11 years of loyal service, I get a letter telling me, sign or be fired.... Very nice. On top of this, the reasoning for it is proven only 6 months later to be complete and utter dishonesty. CX has just turned in it's highest profit in it's 55 year history. That's some financial crisis. Oh, did CX management tell you that they are subjecting us to ANOTHER paycut in June...? Probably not. Even less chance of being secure in retirement. Now, they decide to implement their newest program designed to intimidate and threaten us. Called the 'Absence Management Program', it contains the following statement. 'Any pilot who reports sick more than 5 times, will be DENIED the opportunity to apply for an overseas basing, and his 'promotional' prospects will be compromised'. Well, the ONLY consequence of this ill-considered threat is that you will now have MANY CX aircraft being crewed by ill and disabled aircrew. Many of us will not wish to risk their careers by incurring the wrath of this venal management (intimidation and threat from management have been increasing over the past few years in step with each attempt to devalue our careers). Next time you get on board a CX aircraft, chances are one or more of the aircrew could be physically impaired. With the appalling schedules we have been labouring under, many of us are 'naturally' becoming fatigued, and physically unwell. Instead of the management trying to find ways to improve the terrible work conditions they have generated, their answer is to try and threaten us even further.
So, over the past few years I have been subjected to:
a) erosion of my working conditions
b) intimidation and threats
c) threat of termination
d) 33% paycut, after being tricked out of my provident fund
e) a deliberate devaluing in the eyes of the public and the other employee groups in CX
f) reduction of my families medical benefits
g) another paycut coming in June
h) complete and utter disruption of my lifestyle with no ability to schedule my family life
i) inability to plan for retirement
....needless to say, I could go on. I appreciate the publics concern about any disruption to CX's service. I just hope that an open minded individual can understand just some of what I have written about, and perhaps accept that most of us are at our wit's end.....and that the latest program regarding sickness is in fact putting THEIR lives at a greatly increased risk. Perhaps you could call CX management and ask them to explain all of this. When they try to tell you that 'we' are the unreasonable ones....just consider that CX has managed to turn the most loyal, professional aircrew in the industry (which directly results in the highest safety standards) into the most unhappy, disillussioned group in the industry with the highest sick rate. Ask your self this: If we were the former, who's fault is it that we are now the later? We have no choice but to take action to protect our futures, and the public's safety. I tell you this last statement in all honesty: Over the past few years, I have felt forced (remember, threats and intimidation) to fly many times when feeling ill, fatigued and generally 'not with it'. In one case I felt so ill on approach into HK that I became dizzy and had to have the co-pilot take over. I can tell you with deadly seriousness that this is happening frequently with different pilots in this company, and will only increase in frequency. Scare tactics.....? Well, what do YOU think the consequence of the new 'Absence Management Program' will be...? This management has lost all in the way of morals and integrity. A tragedy is imminent. A temporary shutdown of this airline is the least of worries for the public of HK. I weep for what this airline has become......but the people at the front of the aircraft are the best in the world at what we do....led by the worst of managements. Please support us.
[This message has been edited by The Resistance (edited 04 May 2001).]