China pay row pilots 'turn back'

[OpenCirrus619]

China pay row pilots 'turn back' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7328000.stm)

Don't know if this is news, old hat or even of interest here - I'm sure the Mods will move it if not.

OC619

[Mungo Man]

From the article:

Pilots have been told to sign 99-year deals with state-owned airlines which force them to pay up to 2.1 million yuan ($300,000; £150,000) if they quit

This is astonishing. How can they possibly expect people to sign that? Or are they going to 'coerce' them into signing somehow?

[hogey74]

I am doing pilot training with someone who has a brother who signed a 20 year deal with one of the Chinese carriers based out of Taiwan. A different world, huh? So this does not surprise me.

[electriclightfoot]

The words 'Disenfranchisement' and China are commonly associated with each other.

Lets hope Michael O'Leary doesn't get any ideas.........

[A Very Civil Pilot]

Perhaps it's a regional take on the long term view. Japan has had 100-year mortgages for some time. You take out the loan, your children or grandchildren finally pay it off.

Imagine the call from crewing '...about that exrta day off your father took 50 years ago...we'd like you to operate next week in return.'

[Guava Tree]

This has prompted me and my oldest son to take a look in George Orwell’s Animal Farm book.Napoleon Pig comes to mind when considering the employer. If China wants to motivate young people to train to be pilots, she will have to show that the sacrifice involved will be worth it. That means increasing the pilot salaries a lot, because the job is demanding in time and discipline and there might be lots of hassles . Nothing else will work, even though China might like to try the 99 Year Slavery Idea.
Of course Chinese pilots have Professional Ethics. The fact that this has happened shows desperation. It appears that nothing else will work to expose and get action on the injustices that clearly are behind this case.

[clunk1001]

Do you think if you die before you serve your 99 years that your next of kin are liable for the £150,000 bond?

I hope Michael O'Leary hasnt read this