Lest We Forget
 

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the day that the management of Cathay Pacific Airways, under the auspices of the Swire Group, decided to attack its pilots in an attempt to impose unilateral, drastic contractual and work rule reductions and break the pilots’ union by sacking 49 of them all on the same day, then subsequently defaming them in the world’s media thereby destroying their careers, causing family breakups and with three people losing their lives in the aftermath. It took 10 years for the pilots finally to be exonerated in the courts of law and have their reputations restored, consequently exposing the Cathay management for what it is and in its true colours. It was an honour and a privilege to stand with The 49ers throughout those trying times and I salute all of you who stayed the course and finally prevailed against those unscrupulous people.

In a bizarre perspective, the company ended up doing them a favor. Look at Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong and ask yourself if it's a setup you really want to be part of. Presumably the majority of the 49ers moved on and into better companies that Cathay Pacific - not much admirable about the company even back then - dare to say much less now!. Anyhow, it was a sad day back then - but only serves to prove that the real colors of that company has been shining though for 2 decades, just not everybody has been able to face that fact until recently!

A terrible and callous action not befitting a modern first world airline. The firing of 49 pilots and the ruination of their careers was heartless. It was a terrible time for all of us at the time but it was cataclysmic for 49 pilots and their families. I hope that time has healed most of the hurt and that every 49er has found peace.

Ha a lot more of that to come !

Aren’t you just a happy bundle of joy.