chairman - sounding a bit like a third floor plant there dear boy !!! actually Emirates are offering Direct Entry Captain .................so no waiting at the bottom of the list, also you can work till 65 and get an increment every year rather than being stripped of provvy contribution etc etc after 55 so for anyone approaching 55 looks like a pretty good deal rather than transfer to the joys of freighter flying..........................

Also, Oasis will be taking more DEC's shortly ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I certainly can't see an improvement on A scale coming but if they don't do something for B and an awful lot for the freighter.........................who is going to fly all those nice new aerplanes?? forget that, who is going to fly all the ones they have now???

Nick is sleeping just fine these days. We will never wake up to see any Cathay aeroplanes parked due to any kind of shortage. If you think otherwise - you shall be educated. Happy overtime flying - until that gets changed like its being done over at KA.

Well, with the 15% (or more) productivity improvement CX has gotten out of the pilots since the new rostering practices were brought in, anything less than a 15% payrise is a win for CX. I take it the union has looked at those figures to see whether the average increase is in fact 15% (or more)????

Have they communicated these figures to you? Or are they working on rumours and hearsay to hint at a pathetic payrise (expectation management)????

Look back in the DFO updates or in CX World. He has been quoted, if my memory is correct, there have been approximately 20-25% productivity in the passenger and just short of 50% on the freighter increase in productivity due to rostering practices, all due to 5-4-3 rule gone, free reserve, FDP not starting after 4 hours on reserve, and whatever in the hell else you guys gave away. I know I surely didn’t.

Damn, most of the CX pilots are idiots. Lucky if we get a 2% pay rise and there will be increase productivity for that increase by more than 2%. They want 65 RA, merged F/O pay scale, freighter flying for all on the crappy freighter rostering practices. This group is absolutely ridiculous, the pilots I mean.

Mean while every one still answers the phone on G days or whatever. Captains are the worst. How many still fly the freighter? If I were a Freighter Pilot, I would definitely be pissed off if I seen a mainline Capt. flying the freighter or an F/O that did not have to. Taking away my pay rise. If anyone deserves a payrise the freighter guys do.

How many got on ND’s case for not accepting A Scale for all Captains? Because it was not there!!! Ask NR is he willing to give that now. I think not.

Good luck with it, you will need it. Pussies.:=

Sarcasm
 

Cpdude, I use sarcasm liberally! I expect diddly squat. We deserve huge increases just to recover from inflation and exchange rates but since people aren't leaving they will just ignore our whingeing and what we deserve.

In 1994 Clemmow wrote that since much of our salary went back to our home country, we couldn't expect payrises based on HKG inflation. At the time Anglosaxon inflation was low. Now we are being told that we shouldn't expect a payrise just because inflation is high in our home countries! Its OK for the DFO, he has currency protection in his PF fund. We don't!

CBC - we are better than some, but way behind most of the majors now. BA have averaged payrises of 4%+ a year for years. EK has achieved 41% payrises over the last 5 years. QF have had smaller 3% rises but have improved other CoS items like min daily credit of 5 1/2 hours and higher min guaranteed hours.

We are most definitely slipping. Until a year ago I used to recommend CX. I don't anymore.

By the way CBC, starting at EK now as an FO you will get $56K(HKD) a month tax free starting salary. Allowing for tax, within 3 years you are earning CX SFO 1 level. When you get your command there you earn more than a CN in CX and becuase EK have 3% increments(CX1.8%), the pay differential gets bigger as time goes on.

QF have just announced massive order of 787s. If RA60 comes in, commands will be delayed to QF time spans. May as well tell newbies to take the safer option.If you want $$$ and quick command, EK. If you want to earn more than CX but live in your home country(oz) and don't mind that command will be 12-14 years, QF is the go.

To reinforce Mini coopers sentiments that you need to make money from property to make CX attractive these days.

This from a Pilots Direct advert on this site ("tax free" according to the advert):,
Captain (Airbus 319/320/A321/A330/A340)
$13,738 / month plus benefits and allowances
Requirements: Total minimum hours 6000 (airline time) with at least 2000 hours of jet command.
Valid ICAO license.
Below 57 years of age for type rated applicants.
Permanent positions
Salary $13,738/month Transportation$ 412/month Utility Bills$ 192/month Furniture (One off payment when joining) $ 13,737 Schooling(Annual total for up to 3 children till the age of 21 years) $ 13,737/year Flying allowance$ 33/hour Down route allowance Dependent on destination and paid on a daily basis Medical Insurance:for pilot and family (excludes dental). Staff travel: Full staff travel privileges on all networks for employee and family. Leave ticket:100% free , once a year for employee and family I.e. spouse and children (maximum of three children up to the age of 18 years). First class for Captains and business class for First Officers. On client airline's network. Leave entitlement: 45 days per year on full pay. Medical insurance:Full cover for employee and family in accordance with the rules of the insurer (excludes dental and optical). Monthly hours: 60-80 block hours on average with sector length varying between 45 minutes and 5 hrs 40 minutes (typical A320 rosters). Down route accommodation: 5 star hotel accommodation.
AND for the F/O's
First Officer(Airbus 319/320/A321/A330/A340)
$10,990/month Senior First Officer plus benefits and allowances
Requirements: Total minimum hours 1000 (airline time) or 500 hours if Airbus 319/320/321/330/340 rated.
Valid ICAO ATPL or frozen ICAO ATPL.
Below 45 years of age for type rated applicants.
Permanent positions
Salary $10,990/month ( $10,440/month First Officer) Transportation$ 412/month Utility Bills$ 192/month Furniture (One off payment when joining) $ 13,737 Schooling(Annual total for up to 3 children till the age of 21 years) $ 13,737/year Flying allowance $ 25/hour Down route allowance Dependent on destination and paid on a daily basis Medical Insurance:for pilot and family (excludes dental). Staff travel: Full staff travel privileges on all networks for employee and family. Leave ticket: 100% free , once a year for employee and family i.e. spouse and children (maximum of three children up to the age of 18 years). First class for Captains and business class for First Officers. On client airline's network. Leave entitlement: 45 days per year on full pay. Medical insurance:Full cover for employee and family in accordance with the rules of the insurer (excludes dental and optical). Monthly hours: 60-80 block hours on average with sector length varying between 45 minutes and 5 hrs 40 minutes (typical A320 rosters). Down route accommodation: 5 star hotel accommodation
W2

Mr Bloggs said
"Captains are the worst. How many still fly the freighter? If I were a Freighter Pilot, I would definitely be pissed off if I seen a mainline Capt. flying the freighter or an F/O that did not have to. Taking away my pay rise. If anyone deserves a payrise the freighter guys do."

That has got to be the biggest crock of sh@t I have read for years. TAKE AWAY MY PAY RISE What a lot of rubbish!! The Freighter Captains get commands in 2 years...Why? because they seriously bypass the seniority system by about 7-8 years, they willingly do it and are not forced to. If they wanted to they could wait and join the passenger fleet after 3 years and have all of the pay and conditions that goes hand in hand with the Pax COS. Those that accept the early commands, know they are doing it for less than PAX FO pay!! and hardly hold the moral high ground in the "who's screwing who" stakes.

In fact the Freighter crew joining the airline and accepting the poor pay has for years cheesed me off, it delayed my command 5 years, took away 5 years of command pay and increments and, not only have we not had a pay rise for 13 or so years we have had pay cuts!. Why because some guys accept the fast commands for crappy pay! and then have the audacity to complain about it and blame the PAX guys.....un blooody believable!!!

If I see a PAX crew member flying a freighter it makes me warm and fuzzy because it confirms to me that Cathay can afford to pay A scale to fly the freighter (and to all of their Capts). There is something like 30 PAX Capts rostered for full freighter rosters this month plus many with freighter flights. The airline is not bleeding to death because of it.

Basically ASL. Cathay Freighters, has been a complete disaster, it has done a complete 360 and ended up with PAX pilots propping it up because as the pilots told CX in 94 ish when it was "invented" it was just going to be training system for 747 endorsements for folks who would take the early command and run. Regretably it has also turned pilot against pilot, just as was predicted when ASL started. I would love to know the total cost of all of the endorsments of those who have failed or resigned over the years, the costs of running separate management teams, all the ill feeling etc etc if it was worth it financially?. Cathays reputation has not exactly been enhanced because of the freighter debacle.

I certainly would have no guilt about flying the freighter if I were on the 744, A scalers flew the freighters 18 years ago and as I said CX can still afford to, and are paying A scale rates to keep the freighters flying right now.

One thing for sure....I am glad I don't have to sort out the mess that Capt O created.

CHEESED CYRIL

I understand BA have 5.2% backdated to February!

Two different philosophies on freighter flying.

We all know CX can afford to pay A Scale on the pax and the freighter, but they are not. Just because they can afford it, they will not do it, until they are forced. For example, the B scale Training Captains would not upgrade to STC, so the P-fund contributions went up to 20%. Now we have many STC upgrades.

Me figures if none of these 30 mainline pilots flew the freighter, well the company would have to pay the freighter pilots more, but that is not going to happen is it. If the pax pilots would stop flying it, you may see the freighter flying come back into the fold and you could get your command on mainline pay. If the freighter flying would come back to the fold, we could have B Scale for all F/O’s (pax and freighter), not on this new merged F/O freighter scale they will try to vote through. I am assuming they will introduce a merged Capt’s salary with the merged F/O salary.

You see, if they don’t have the proper amount of pilots for the freighter division, they lose a huge amount of flexibility. If they don’t have this flexibility, they could not crew all the flights (your 30 pilots). What is one to do? CX could bring it back into the fold because they need this flexibility (on better salary, RP and conditions) or CX can get 30 or so pilots to fly until CX/AOA put some clause in our contract. They are now trying to figure out how they are going to get you to fly the freighter for less and it will most likely happen whether you are a mainline pilot or not.

These plots will just prop it up long enough for CX to fix THEIR problem and WE pay for it, no reason to throw money at it, only the small amount we pay the mainline pilots.

I can see at negotiations, all pilots will fly the freighter and will receive freighter pay when doing so, but you will receive a 2% increase in mainline pay for doing so.

Just stop flying the freighter so the negotiation team can have some leverage, but everyone must look after number one, yes.

The freighter pilots are not helping their cause by any means. Record amount of disruption and many continue to go into discretion, according to NR updates. I ask myself why? They have terrible rosters and RP, paid the least, PX’ing all over the world in economy. I can’t understand why they do it.

The freighter pilots can not understand why they don’t get a pay rise or better rosters, but I guess that is why they are freighter pilots.:}

One thing you and I agree on is that these guys getting early commands are not helping but we all had the opportunity to take these positions and the most senior guy got it. I can only assume they had enough of HK. Win/Win for CX. Paid less on a base.

Now if we only stopped pilots coming on B-Scale……………………………………:ok:

Hey Mr Bloggs, whats the go with the merged F/O pay scale you mentioned? I thought that had been voted down with RP07? Has it made a reappearance in the negotiations and if so is it retrospective ie will based Pax Pilots find themselves on Freighter pay one morning???

The company have stated that one of the things they want to achieve is a combined payscale for F/O's, but obviously it was voted down the first time as it resulted in a paycut for most. Perhaps if they try one which results in a significant payrise for most then it might get through this time.
No, I'm not holding my breath.....but I am updating my CV.

NR will have a hard time justifying why one pilot in JFK will be hired on the 777 on DEFO mainline pay and another pilot being hired on the 744F out of JFK as DEFO with different pay scales or conditions of service. You bet ya it is being revisited.

As you know being voted down once means nothing with the CX pilots. Same will happen with the LON, AMS, CDG, LAX, SFO and any other place CX has a pax/freighter service.

There are many F/O slots in AUS, NA and EUR for DEFO’s. NR is having a hard time justifying why one of these positions is paid so little.

What will happen is it will be contained in the whole of the COS in where some will receive a pay rise (2%) but in order to accept that 2% there will have to be a F/O merged pay scale ( the poison seed in the cake if you will).

It does not affect the Captains or Senior First Officers, so why not vote for it, it does affect them and they get 2% out of it, the mainline DEFO’s will receive a pay cut but it does not affect the majority of CX pilots, so it will most likely be voted through. :=

Does B Scale sound familiar…………………………….. Did not affect A Scalers in 94 because they got an 8% pay rise for it. Now they can’t figure out why their conditions are going south.:ugh:

So a long answer to a short question, yes it is being revisited.:ok:

86.8% voted against it last time so I think some significant improvements will have to be made in order to get it through again this time. This is a very different matter to the RP07 revote (RP07 had more votes for than against the first time so was very close in the first place).
The first DEFO proposal also had no effect on the senior guys, just reduced pay, terms and conditions for the new joiners and junior bods but was still voted down as the pilot body here will no longer accept the thin end of the wedge being driven in by reduced conditions for new joiners, I hope!

Just read the AOA update and it will not be just about pay but a COS package. Trust me, this will contain many poison seeds but depends on who it will affect more. There will be a merged F/O pay scale because Captains and Senior First Officers will vote for it because it doe not affect them and they get a pay rise. It’s going to happen. One must think of ones self first, it’s the CX way. Most can’t see how it will affect the future.

I like this quote “In consideration of all this there is still the overriding fact of what our paymasters are prepared to pay.” Just because they can afford to pay A Scale they will not. They don’t have a need to. The freighter ops is working fine and not many pilots leaving, so why pay more? If pilots would stop going above and beyond the call of duty that could change but that is not going to happen is it. CX do not pay unless they are forced to and they are not forced to.

Not sure if the AOA has a choice but increased retirement age is inevitable. Too bad for the younger pilots.

Now from the DFO:

1) a review of market forces and CX pay scales in HKG and the various Base Areas, 2) a review of retirement age - made more topical by the more stringent legal obligations in the Base Areas, 3) a second opportunity for ASL/ABL crew to join the CX seniority list (which was always the plan if CX retirement age was to increase to age 60 or beyond) and 4) an attempt to seek the AOA's support for a unified pay scale for Passenger and Freighter F/Os on bases (the "DEFO" scale). Next week will hopefully see final proposals from each side and, with any luck, an agreement to be put forward to the AOA membership for a vote later in the summer.

On todays show the top 4 reasons why the CX pilots COS are in danger:

Item 4 from the DFO; here comes you merged pay scale, the poison seed. Lets try again:}

Item 3 from the DFO; just so you know when the last ASL pilots either leaves or is integrated into CX, the Cathay freighter agreement is no longer in effect. Everyone will have to fly the freighter, the poison seed. All those ASL Captains will be operating the 744 pax aircraft therefore taking commands/Bases away from mainline pilots, again the poison seed.:ouch:

Item 2 Retirement Age, if it is “more stringent legal obligations in the Base Areas” and it is inevitable, why are they negotiating it? Why just implement it like they usually do.

And the number one item on today’s show is Pay: You get paid more than Royal Nepal Airways.:}

The whole COS vote will have many poison seeds contained within it. Good luck on your vote and your future.:ok:

I love the guys that volunteer to fly the freighter and them b*itch about getting jerked around....

I think this speaks for itself.
 

Welcome aboard sonny. You will be employed by CX primarily to fly nice shiny new wide body passenger aircraft. However, we also fly freighter aircraft as well and ................ under a working “Freighter Aircraft Crewing Agreement”, passenger crew can agree to fly these aircraft with other passenger crew or with freighter crew (referred to as “mixed crew flying”) if and when required (by the company). If you want this job, and we know you do, your signature at the bottom of this letter represents notification that you are willing to take part in such freighter operations if necessary. However, this will not affect your salary or benefits.

What are the views on retirement at 60 or 65?
There seems to be a lot of talk about pay rise and DEFO, but not so much about retirement even though it will have a major impact on career progression.

If the time to command is at about 10 years now, it will possibly be up to 15-20 years in the future. Considering the extra number of years spent as F/O, this more than negates any financial benefits coming from a pay rise. It will have a significant financial impact for any officers below CN in terms of lost revenue. Moreover, F/O reaching the top of the F/O pay scale won’t get any annual pay increments until going for their command, which could be several years away.

The expansion may help alleviate the negative impact of RA60/55, but not significantly. And once the expansion is over and we’ve received all our new aircrafts (in 2-3 yrs only I believe), upgrades will come to a stop as no one will be retiring for another amount of years.

:confused:

Mr Bloggs,
we did not vote in B scales for a 8% pay rise in 1994. We accepted degraded rostering practices and the loss of 2 weeks leave for that 8%.
B scales were introduced on 1 April 1993. We A scalers did nothing to stop it. We never got a payrise for it though.

New FO scales will not cause a paycut to current employees just like B scales did not cause a pay cut to A scales.

bobrun,
at current growth rates a brand new joiner today could expect up to 4 years delay. That assumes every CN extends past 55 and no loss of medicals, death etc.
CX often state that they will grow faster if we had RA65. The rate required to absorb all the 55+ year olds is not really likely. We have 102 aircraft at end of 2006. At end of 2011 we would need around 175 a/c to absorb the 55+ guys, or we would have 139 if we remain on current growth rate.
IN recent history we have roughly 50% command courses for replacement of retirees.

Assuming an accelerated, but realistic growth rate, I would suggest that a new joiner might be delayed around 2 years. Obviously an FO due to start command in Jan08 won't be affected at all, delay wise, so pro rata it in between.

Under that assumption of accelerated growth rate, a new joiner would suffer 1 years loss of earnings, NPV wise, assuming he gets bypass pay and 2-3years if he doesn;t get bypass pay. But the counter argument to that is that he can work another 10 years. You be the judge as to whether that is a 'win' or not.

Clear as mud!?

"All those ASL Captains will be operating the 744 pax aircraft therefore taking commands/Bases away from mainline pilots, again the poison seed.:ouch:"

Can't see it happpening, more likely they will operate the 744F as VETA until their seniority number reaches the level for a pax command. That is assuming they come in at the bottom of the list.

All the details and reading on this thread...my opinion is that we need to work on our SOLIDARITY to ensure that the company treats us with respect. I know we lost alot during our last "standoff", but we really need to get back to firm footing when it comes to common goals. I think the biggest thing we need to work on is getting people to join the "association", and when the no's increase, perhaps we can call it a Union. If we had the power to get everyone to walk off the job at one time.....we would be treated with respect. This job is not what it used to be...and the job market is very good right now...so maybe guys would be more willing to stand stronger these days. We cant do it overnight, but I think its something that we can move in this direction to help make some progress! I for one would be willing to risk my job here to make sure we get treated with more respect. I know I can go to several other very good airlines at a moments notice and hardly make much of a lifestyle change and the same goes for everyone. The guys we need to protect the most however are the ones in the sweet spot....those are the once waiting for command shortly. Any thoughts?? Mister chairmanboysclub wannabe can eat his own shorts! We will always be the cornerstone of this airline..and I can tell it bugs him!

NC, If B Scales were not around would CX have come after you like they did in ’99 (sign or be fired and you have two weeks to think about it)? Foolishly the B scales got caught up in it and that was a huge mistake. I know most signed within the first two days after that “Critical Mass” thingy, if it took that long.:=

Don’t think we need lower pay scales in the company for new joiners even if it does not affect me. We have a DEFO pay scale at this time, the company should adhere to it.

Same with this freighter stuff. They made their bed in 96 with the creation of ASL, now they want ASL in CX. Well they made that bed, so live with it. I particularly don’t want to fly the freighter on those Rostering practices. We may have a chance to change that if we all thought collectively, but what am I thinking?:ugh:

Do you think it is wise to accept an 8% pay increase now for everything NR wants? I realize 8% of your salary and my salary is not even close. Would you do the same thing today that you did in ’94? I think I know that answer. Would you rather have better rostering and 2 more weeks leave? Look at the mess with rostering since ’94.

I do know how the vote is going to go and I ask myself why I even bother. First COS rejected, second COS is worse than the first, so the first one is voted in out of fear.

Our COS has been getting worse since I joined. The COS seems to change every couple of years and it is not for the better i.e. higher taxes on housing, lower medical, RP 01-04-07, etc. But I do get to request 5 days off in a row with 80 days notice, big win.:D

Seems the pilots at CX cannot see the forest for the trees and will vote for whatever is put in front of them. Sometimes not the first time, but what NR wants usually gets in. He should be at least a committee member, think there is one spot open for him. Man he knows how to play this group.:ouch:

So the AOA wants new joiners in the AOA correct? How can you honestly tell a new joiner to come to the AOA and we will protect your interest, the AOA just recommended a pay cut for new joiners and they will have to stay at least another 4 years or more in the right seat. Hello New Joiner, I’m Mr. AOA. We just lowered your pay scale and you have to sit in the right seat longer, please join us, we will protect your future.:E

Your argument on bypass pay is a joke, CX is playing that one. Pilots are not assessed until the very end and may get a week of bypass pay if they are lucky. It is not a factor.

NC, I love this one “CX often state that they will grow faster if we had RA65”. Do you really believe them? Of course they are going to say that, they want to grow at our cost not theirs. They can source out training to Boeing, Alteon or other airlines. Mr. Boeing will supply training with these new 777-300ER’s and this is being looked into. Cheaper to have pilots after 55 on lower conditions and these retreads accept it.:=

Can’t say that I agree with your numbers, but I guess that is why I became a pilot.

GHE, you are correct if they come in at the bottom of the list. You have to ask yourself why does NR wants ASL on Veta? The reason why; the freighter agreement is now null and void, it will be deleted from your COS, so everyone will have to fly the freighter. It could make life very miserable for blokes sitting on bases that have freighter flights LHR, AMS, FRA, CDG, SFO, LAX, etc but then again it does not affect other pilots so it will be voted FOR. I don’t understand why pilots would want to vote for this but then again, it doesn’t affect me attitude arises.]

Now instead of doing LHR-HKG-LHR, you will now be PX’ing to CDG, overnight or operate to either Milan, Bombay, Delhi or some other port, overnight, fly to HKG and either hop back to the UK or fly direct OR LAX-SFO-ANC-overnight-ANC-DFW-ATL-overnight-ATL-YYZ-ANC- overnight- ANC-SFO-LAX. Next pairing may be the same or may get a LAX-HKG-overnight-HKG-ANC-overnight-ANC-SFO-LAX or whatever. We all know how creative crew scheduling/crew control can get when they are short.

Much rather do LHR-HKG-LHR or LAX-HKG-LAX but then again freighter flying is interesting flying so I am told.

5-O, if you were here in 99 to 01 you would have seen many pilots talk the talk at meeting but did not come close to walking the walk. Some talked but did the opposite when the numbers came down. I remember many aircraft taking to the sky with those very pilots who were under threat. Pilots that were under direct threat continued to do the job, not much solidarity there but it’s a nice thought.

The only thing that will keep changing here at CX is your COS. But only time will tell if I am correct and we should know in the next couple of months.

NICE
 

A guy over on the terms & endearment thread reckons SQ paid him 6 months profit share. That would be nice.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...271434&page=15

Not a bad thread to get an idea of whats being paid around the traps.

Mr Bloggs,
In 1999, yes I think they would have come after us even if on one scale. Every dept in CX was told to reduce costs by 20%. Obviously with fixed overheads such as fuel, leasing, route operating costs, the only obvious target was salaries. In 1999, before the hoo haa, I was earning more than any FO in qantas. Now as a CN I earn as much as a 400FO in QF.

I try to be impartial - just quote facts and figures. I am not doing any others a service if I colour these facts and figures with my view. So I try not to state my opinion but I often fail;-/

CX want to end the FACA - the only way to do that is fire or integrate the (approx 40-50)ASL crews. Some ASL guys rejected the chance to come across in 2000 as they were close to 55 and would have been forced to retire. Some didn't come over as they were close to command in ASL and didn't want to have to wait another 9years by joining CX mainline.

If I had my time over I wouldn't have signed the deal in 94. I very much doubt I will ever be offered 8% again being A scale!

Do I really believe they will grow faster? Yes. It makes no sense increasing retirement age and DEFO with resultant bypass pay issues and increasing costs otherwise. This airline is training capacity constrained. If they want to expand faster they can get aircraft from leasing companies.

This might be hard to accept but having a later RA costs CX more per cockpit. WHy? Because in the average cockpit you have higher increment CNs and in the short term, higher increment FOs. Add in bypass pay and the costs skyrocket. An airline that isn't training constrained wants the most junior CNs/FOs possible. The training costs involved wash out in less than 4 years because of the higher increments. Even if conditions were degraded, it is still costlier to have CNs remain after 55.

New joiners
Without the rejection last summer, new DEFOs would be on a much lower package. With AOA involvement hopefully the new deal is a big improvement on what was nearly imposed. There is nothing in our CoS preventing them from employing DEFOs at any time on any base. They just have to pay bypass.

A new joiner can come in 3 ways today. Freighter FO, Pax FO or SO. If they have the experience they will join as an FO. A unified FO scale will ensure that the pilot will be better off financially than if he joined under the current FFO or SO salary. SOs joining in HKG will still be joining on the salary as it exists today.

So any new joiner is better off financially - how has the AOA let him down?

On bypass, why is it a joke? Bypass pay is paid to someone. Currently they pay bypass pay to highest eligible FO and I believe the highest eligible SO for CN extensions. 'Eligible' is where the confusion lies. If you are Cat D or you voluntarily defer a command(like an FO on a base waiting for a CN slot on the base) you are not entitled so bypass pay goes down the seniority list to the next eligible individual. The CoS has no mention of assessment but I may be wrong on that.


Myths:
DEFOs cost time to command and RA65 will accelerate time to command.

Facts:
DEFOs will accelerate time to command for all FO/SOs on the seniority list as this airline is training course constrained. The only ones to suffer are current SOs...and they will receive bypass pay as per the deal last year.
RA65 will slow down command rate. As i said earlier, I do think CX will expand faster in future but not enough to absorb all the extendees. So I would assume a 2+year delay for a brand new SO(11+years).

Housing and other benefits (such as travel fund, education) are now taxed. The IRD is shifting in its interpretation of what is an allowance or non cash allowance. This has been a consistent trend. The AOA has been funding an appeal on the housing interpretation but it appears that IRD interpretation has infact changed and all these benefits are taxable. So it seems the advice CX got from its lawyers was in fact accurate. I know there is pilot whingeing, but does paranoia extend so far as to think an employer really wants every payment/benefit made taxable?

Whatever the deal, vote for it or not on its merits not prejudice or the histrionics of certain PPRUNE posters.

I think people should listen to the advice given by the AOA, CX, colleagues, competitor airline mates, PPRUNE, the DB plaza and then make up their own mind.

NC,
I think the problem Bloggs has with the AOA committee and the DEFO deal was that they were trying to sell us on how good it was. Fortunately for the first and only time since I've been in the AOA the membership came back with a sensible response.

555orange,

Do you work for CX?

Regarding your analysis of the impact of RA60-65: sounds reasonable, if you really believe the expansion will pick-up speed. That would be an optimistic scenario. The reality is that the expansion may remain at the current rate or even slow down with a changing economy, ever increasing competition or whatever unexpected event that may happen in the future (similar to SARS etc). Who can really tell? Any "glitch" in the optimistic scenario and the time to command will increase significantly. Your figure of 4 years delay with RA60 is more likely, and probably 7-8 years with RA65. Under that scenario, "junior" officers will definitely have to work past 55 in order to be able to retire considering the lost revenue arising from a delayed upgrade!
Increasing the retirement age is a significant issue for a large portion of the pilot group and one that could seriously disrupt career progressions. It may be a good deal for the company or senior officers not waiting on an upgrade, but it certainly isn’t good news for the majority. Who would gamble his/her career prospect for a small pay rise or increase in benefits?

I can tell you from experience, that if the retirement age is extended to 60 from your current 55, it will delay peoples' promotions by way more than the 2 years mentioned earlier on. Despite the expansion program, I believe the training system limitations and command failure rates will put paid to any 'promises' of no real delays from your managers. Additionally, any shiny new aircraft that are on the order books today may well disappear in a puff of CEO smoke in 6 months time. It is easy to 'dream up' expansion plans to help allay the fears of those sitting on the fence! A certain Southern Hemisphere airline did just that not too long ago...

Capt TOGA,

No I don't. When I reread my post, I see it may seem like I am speaking as such. However I speak as a common colleague as I worked in Asia in the recent past and I work for a company now that has similar problems. So I suppose I feel like I am one of the group, but not one in Cathay. I apologize if it seems like I speak as I am one of "the Cathay boys" as I am not. However I do feel like a colleague and I do feel we all need to band together on our common goals. I enjoyed working in Asia, and I would like to come back after working in N. America again. I came here to educate myself on how the Cathay boys feel...and unfortunately I have let my strong opinions run off. I just hate it when I hear managment types spitting at us when they are supposed to be working with us! In any case, I first thought Cathay was really good right now, but I can see there are some hidden agenda's at play internally, and there is a tough battle with not much Labor law strength for the guys. And unfortunately...as is my nature...I once and awhile start **** disturbing! :ugh:You may or may not see more of me...I will however watch my reference.

You will get an 8% pay increase. It must be worth it. Take one for the company. I am sure many Captains will feel for you. They do have a tendency to think of others but are usually looking in the mirror.

Sorry mates, the CX pilots think as individuals and not as a group and that is the cause of all the attacks. Nothing will change now or in the future.

An Oz based pilot does not give a rat’s ass about a bloke in LHR or his roster. The LHR pilots do not give a rat’s ass about a pilot in LAX (bloody Yanks). A LAX pilot does not give a rat’s ass about a pilot based in Perth. Who cares, it does not affect me. I am willing to screw my fellow pilots and accept a bad deal for them if I can get something out of it and it does not affect me.

Do you really think the Captains think about retirement age? Screw the young blokes. I get an 8% pay rise and I can work for longer. They don’t really care. Do Captains really care if an S/O has to pay $100,000 HKD if his wife has an operation because it is not covered in his/her medical package? I think not, but the Capt is fine, he is on a better package.

That is how it works in CX.

Crew control and scheduling operate with impunity with the sanctions of the GMA and the DFO. They all meet every morning and go over the last days delays. If you did not go above and beyond the call of duty, you will be called to explain. It’s the environment we work in.

Rules are for paper only, they do what they want. It is China.

Pilots will put their license, job and there career on the line for CX. They could be the most tired pilot at the time but when crew control asks you to go above the call of duty (which you are solely accountable), pilots back down and do what crew control wants. Pilots just hope or are ignorant on how they are responsible and CX is isolated because you as a Captain took all the responsibility yourself.

Pilot: I am too tired/fatigued
Crew control: So you are calling in sick.
Pilot: No, I am not sick; I am too tired/ fatigued.
Crew Control: So it’s a missed duty
Pilot: No, I am too tired/fatigued.
Crew Control: But it is legal.
Pilot: Yes I know it is legal, but I am too tired.
Crew Control: Standby, we are calling your Fleet Manager

Let’s just watch on how this next COS is negotiated and how it is recommended and how it is voted on. I will bet my bottom dollar that the pilots of CX will eat their own young if need be.

Pessimistic? No, just an optimist with experience and know how the CX pilots work. It will be interesting.

BTW NC, we will have to agree to disagree but I do not agree with your numbers.:ok:

Mr Bloggs,

If I was to reply to this thread I would have written word for word as you have done, well done.:D

URGENT - CX Proposal
 

:mad:
Just had this FWD'd to me:
Dear Colleagues/Friends,
As you are all aware, the Company and the AOA have been in talks over the last 2 months regarding the important issues of Pay, Retirement Age and Direct Entry First Officers. The talks are nearing completion and a proposal is expected to be put forward in early August.
What you may not know, is the seriousness the outcome of these talks and subsequent vote, to the rest of your career at Cathay Pacific.
The company has indicated that there is some money on the table for the pay talks. It’s how they plan to use this money that is of greatest concern. Let me explain by telling you what the likely proposal will contain.
Instantaneous extension of retirement age to 65.
Any extension beyond age 55 will be on current pay scale. Ie A Scalers can work to age 65 on A Scale pay inclusive of yearly increments.
Bypass pay for all officers affected by this extension who remain on COS99
Introduction of COS08 that includes:
Retirement age 65
Waiving of bypass pay until an officer is extended beyond age 65
All new joiners and based crew will have to sign. (CX is claiming that due to local discrimination laws, based crew will be required to be on a contract that doesn’t discriminate against age)
DEFO pay to be introduced to pax and freighter fleets as follows
Yr 1 – Freighter FO 1 pay
Yr 2 – Freighter FO 2 pay
Yr 3 – Freighter FO 3 pay
Yr 4 – Intermediate amount between Freighter FO 3 and Pax SFO 1
Yr 5 – Pax SFO 1 pay
Yr 6 - Pax SFO 2 pay etc etc
An insult of a pay increase, not much more than 5% over the next 2.5 years!
BEWARE - It will be advertised as something different, but if you look closely, its not.
What does this mean to those of us who have not attained the rank of Captain, or are a relatively junior Captain?
Conservative estimates put the Average delay to command at 3-4 years
That’s 3-4 years that you are not earning command pay, and this money (your money) is going toward the funding of extending A scalers on A Scale Pay!
This estimate is if the company continue to expand at the current rate. It will be longer if we have a downturn.
Bypass pay will be paid to those officers who remain on CoS99
however, bypass pay never leaves the Captain Year 1 pay increment (have a look at the difference between SFO Yr 6 pay and Captain Yr 1 pay. There’s not much difference!)
The company has indicated that they have already set aside funds to pay the bypass pay. They need age 65 and are willing to pay bypass pay, which is cheaper that slowing their expansion.
Officers on CoS08 will not be paid bypass pay for over 55 extendees.
If an officer is on Cos08 and at the top of the FO seniority list and there is one extended Captain, then there is no bypass pay paid. If there are 2 Captains extended, and the top FO is on Cos08 and the next FO is on Cos99, then only one lot of bypass pay paid. If there are 3 Captains extended and the third FO is on CoS08, then there is still only one lot of bypass pay paid. So on and so on. Another saving for the company to help fund the A Scalers.
Delayed or non-existent based opportunities
Just think of the number of A scalers who have been planning to retire at 55, and have enough money to do so, now willing to take the pay decrease to take a base. It’s now just pocket money to them. Bases will become somewhere where the senior aircrew go to see out their days, not somewhere you can take your family after upgrading to captain.
How is it possible that this proposal could even be considered by the GC, let alone put to us to vote on?
The GC is not representative of its members or the CX aircrew body. Here is the rough membership breakdown
CX F/O's total - 1050 of which 520 are AOA members
CX Capt's total - 750 of which 425 are AOA members
CX S/O's total - not exactly sure, but slight majority are members
Approx 15 of the 22 GC members are A Scale captains
Only 2 F/O's currently on the GC!
Who stands to benefit from this proposal?
100 of our 1000 odd members (Approx 100 A Scalers are members)
200-300 A Scalers who are non members.
CX. They get to solve their self made problem of not having enough Captains to fulfil their expansion plans
Who stands to lose from this proposal?
YOU!
Including those of you who are NON HKAOA members!! Join Now to vote!
What can we do?
Of course voting NO is an obvious way of showing your disgust at your future being sold down the toilet for a bunch that have had it good for so many years already, at the expense of US, the junior officers.
The chances are, the company will just introduce age 65 anyway, as they have done with the extension of C & T Captains already.
BUT, if we can get everyone to vote and have a say, to show the company and the AOA that the VAST MAJORITY of the aircrew body thinks this PROPOSAL STINKS, then we have more of a chance to deflect this attack on OUR future.
Write to the AOA in mass numbers, demanding that they fight for pay and conditions for the majority of the membership, not just a small few. Demand that they tell the company, in no uncertain terms, that the B scale pilot body is not going to fund the solution to the company’s own mess. It is our future, and we must do everything we can to protect it!
FORWARD THIS EMAIL ON to ALL of your CX F/O and S/O friends and colleagues, members or not.
JOIN THE AOA and VOTE. If you are not a member of the AOA, JOIN NOW. There is still time for you to join and have your say. Don’t look back in a few years time and say “I wish I had of spent a couple of hundred dollars to have my voice heard”. Join now by emailing [email protected]
This is no time for finger pointing and blaming anyone else for what we are about to be presented with. This is a time where we need UNITY. We all have the same objective – TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE.
Please forward this email on to you friends and write to the AOA now at [email protected] demanding they accept nothing less than a fair proposal for all.
Thank you for your time.

Mr Bloggs,

Mate. You got it all right. Thas IS how it IS! Maybe it was different in the past - unfortunately thats not where we live - we live in the real world as per your description. This company will not give a cent without getting a dollar back. CX are in the money only business and that comes before anything else - anything.

You can see it all coming just by reading the AoA updates on the ongoing "negotiations" - its really sad reading.

Anybody thinking there will be any kind of improvement to the current CoS without the pilot core paying for it themselves and most likely paying more than given - well.. why dont we just wait and see..

Great summary!
 

...but you're wrong!

I am an A scaler (or used to be at least, when I got paid more than 60% more than a B scaler) and there is NOTHING in the emailed proposal for me!!!

All the pay rises are to the B scalers - all the A scalers get is the right (obligation) to fly the freighter on freighter RPs. Thats it - no pay rise.

I can count very few fellow A scalers who will work beyond 55 ( Im thinking less than 10) May be some more will do a one year extension, but thats it.

This should be a pay rise for everyone! And regardless what you think about the A scale, remmeber that the higher it is, the higher the B scale will go. Whatever has happened to the A scale (ie no pay rise since 94) will eventually happen to the B scale when it is the highest pay scale in CX.

This is a bad proposal, but NOT because it is (supposedly) good for A scalers!

Proposal
 

Yes...but the crucial point for those near command is this...a 3-4 year delay. And for those of us that have already been here 7-8 years, that would equate to 10-12 years in the right seat (if you joined on the freighter).

Have no intention of hanging around and taking another 3-4 years of crap from the likes of the 400 checking dept! We all know who the tossers are...maybe its time they were named and shamed publicly! :ugh:

sq 2 crew hk-anc
 

had lunch with a cargo captain last week and he was off to anc from hk with two crew..maybe someone should update the FAA

freighter crews
 

Seems all the boys that jumped on board to operate the freighter when the company was slaughtering guys that had been here nearly 10 years waiting for a command aren't having such a rosy time of it.Didn't seem to bother you when the cx pilots were toe to toe with the company protecting our rights back then..taking command jobs away from pax crews...which resulted in 53 of our guys being summarily executed.Now you're finally getting a taste of what we'd been fighting all along so suck it up!...we told you so!
It's all out on the table now and you've got no right to bitch about pax crews doing anything after the effect your even joining cx at that time had on our f/o's....you're in for a long,hard bat up the bottom...so lube up boys.

freighter crews
 

BlunderBus....remember SARS...you still have a profitable company to work for thanks to the freighter crews :mad: COCK!