arse
4th Dec 2010, 04:16
Dear Mr P
As you have reported, industrial tensions between Cathay Pacific and its pilots are on the rise. I would ask for nothing more than a fair and balanced view of the current events.
You quote a Cathay Pacific spokesman as saying that they pay market salaries for pilots. A little investigation would find this to be an inaccurate statement. Cathay claim to pay the equivalent of an ex-pats legacy carrier + 10%, so as to attract the highest quality pilot. The truth is, a Hong Kong based pilot is paid the same as a Low Cost Carrier Pilot in their home country and significantly behind the legacy carriers Cathay refers to. In fact, because of the vagaries of inflation and currency, the basic salary of Hong Kong based pilots is less than their compatriots who are based in their home countries. There are Second Officers (not even a fully qualified co-pilot) in Qantas who earn as much as a junior Cathay Captain.
It has been reported that Cathay pilots rejected a 4 to 5% pay increase. The truth is that the 4 to 5% pay increase went to almost all employees, except the pilots! It terms of truthfulness the two are chalk and cheese!
It has been reported that Cathay Pilots have voted for “Contract Compliance” (CC). The missing fact, is that the vote was for CC to be implemented at the discretion of the HKAOA General Committee, should Cathay Pacific fail to negotiate in good faith. The truth is that Cathay has a long history of delaying tactics and intimidation, attempting to stall as long as possible, with the sole porpose being to offset any cost increases! This is again evident in their claim that the pilots are not negotiating in good faith if they have voted for CC. Unless correctly reported, this fact alone would seem to be true, but neglects the 15+ years of take, take, take by Cathay, that has led to this current situation.
Pilots are easy targets! The general impression is that they are all mega-millionaires living the high life. Again this is far from the truth. They are mostly conscientious, hardworking professionals who are given very little credit for the stressful, fatiguing and highly responsible job they do!
The job has been described as 99% boredom and 1 % sheer terror. It is that 1% that deserves the highest salary. Recent incidents in aviation would remind us that only thing that stands between a safe landing and a horrendous accident is the calm, cool, gentleman sitting up the front!
These days to be an elitist is almost a bad thing, but I would ask you, on a stormy night when something goes wrong, who do you want flying your aeroplane and do you think the cost of your tickets should include a percentage to get the best possible skill set in the front?
Sincerely
As you have reported, industrial tensions between Cathay Pacific and its pilots are on the rise. I would ask for nothing more than a fair and balanced view of the current events.
You quote a Cathay Pacific spokesman as saying that they pay market salaries for pilots. A little investigation would find this to be an inaccurate statement. Cathay claim to pay the equivalent of an ex-pats legacy carrier + 10%, so as to attract the highest quality pilot. The truth is, a Hong Kong based pilot is paid the same as a Low Cost Carrier Pilot in their home country and significantly behind the legacy carriers Cathay refers to. In fact, because of the vagaries of inflation and currency, the basic salary of Hong Kong based pilots is less than their compatriots who are based in their home countries. There are Second Officers (not even a fully qualified co-pilot) in Qantas who earn as much as a junior Cathay Captain.
It has been reported that Cathay pilots rejected a 4 to 5% pay increase. The truth is that the 4 to 5% pay increase went to almost all employees, except the pilots! It terms of truthfulness the two are chalk and cheese!
It has been reported that Cathay Pilots have voted for “Contract Compliance” (CC). The missing fact, is that the vote was for CC to be implemented at the discretion of the HKAOA General Committee, should Cathay Pacific fail to negotiate in good faith. The truth is that Cathay has a long history of delaying tactics and intimidation, attempting to stall as long as possible, with the sole porpose being to offset any cost increases! This is again evident in their claim that the pilots are not negotiating in good faith if they have voted for CC. Unless correctly reported, this fact alone would seem to be true, but neglects the 15+ years of take, take, take by Cathay, that has led to this current situation.
Pilots are easy targets! The general impression is that they are all mega-millionaires living the high life. Again this is far from the truth. They are mostly conscientious, hardworking professionals who are given very little credit for the stressful, fatiguing and highly responsible job they do!
The job has been described as 99% boredom and 1 % sheer terror. It is that 1% that deserves the highest salary. Recent incidents in aviation would remind us that only thing that stands between a safe landing and a horrendous accident is the calm, cool, gentleman sitting up the front!
These days to be an elitist is almost a bad thing, but I would ask you, on a stormy night when something goes wrong, who do you want flying your aeroplane and do you think the cost of your tickets should include a percentage to get the best possible skill set in the front?
Sincerely