FedEX HKG LOA is out, and boy is it funny...

[ilandopr]

No No No

You should do your housing research a little better. $8000 USD + would be an ultra high end place in the heart of the city. A quick search and I see that average high priced places are $15,000 HKG or about $2000 USD per month.

http://hongkong.craigslist.org/apa/

1 USD = 7.81659 HKD
Money conversion:
http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

Your $2000 USD per month apartments on that website will barely get you 800 sq ft of living space. I'm voting NO!!!!

 

[F18-FDX]

I'm in the NO category. I wouldn't touch this domicile with a 10-foot pole, but I am voting no because we set a seriously sub-standard precedent if it passes.

 

[LaidOffAgain]

Here is a link to the military OHA table for Hong Kong.
http://141.116.74.201/appendix-k/PDF/Hong_Kong.pdf

Makes you wonder if anyone in on the LOA negotiation looked at this stuff or just bought what the company told them.

Baron,

That is what everyone in SFS is asking themselves. The only NO vote is the one that lives in a FDA and knows all to well how bad this LOA truely is. But do the research for yourself. LOA(LaidOffAgain) Ha I get it, sorry just got in from a trip and a little slow!

 

[AA717driver]

I hear Shenzhen is nice this time of year...

Well, actually, it's a $hithole year round but it's affordable. TC

P.S.--Don't sell out your newbies. They'll be voting on your retiree benefits one day.

 

[Little Bubba]

I think FO's at Cathay get around HKD 52000/month if they decide to buy a unit. Also, childrens education is 90% covered.

 

[MalteseX]

Insulting

This LOA is not only INADEQUATE.

It's downright INSULTING. :laugh:

 

[Phaedrus]

Completely inadequate. Perhaps some day I'll go to a foreign domicile but not if something like this LOA gets past a pilot group.
Don't understand the different allowance for housing based on renting v. buying.
HHG shipment is ludicrous. A college grad couldn't move out of his dorm with those tares.
Way, way too many facets of overseas living not even addressed.
No way.
The conference call tomorrow should be worth a listen....

 

[LaidOffAgain]

Completely inadequate. Perhaps some day I'll go to a foreign domicile but not if something like this LOA gets past a pilot group.
Don't understand the different allowance for housing based on renting v. buying.
HHG shipment is ludicrous. A college grad couldn't move out of his dorm with those tares.
Way, way too many facets of overseas living not even addressed.
No way.
The conference call tomorrow should be worth a listen....

Wow great to hears these types of opinions! Hope it is shared by most in MEM! Wonder how the MEC and NC would feel when and if this gets voted down by a huge margin? "oh maybe we shouldn't have taken the company's first offer???" LOA

 

[TheBaron]

The problem is that when we vote it down (which I think is likely) the company will come up with a new "nugget" program to fill the bases. Some guy making sqaut at a regional would jump on the opportunity to be hired into the right seat of a wide body at FedEx. Of course, if it does somehow pass and not enough people bid it, they will still have to start another "nugget" program.

 

[DLax85]

The problem is that when we vote it down (which I think is likely) the company will come up with a new "nugget" program to fill the bases. Some guy making sqaut at a regional would jump on the opportunity to be hired into the right seat of a wide body at FedEx. Of course, if it does somehow pass and not enough people bid it, they will still have to start another "nugget" program.

I have heard this "argument" stated repeatedly, but does it actually make sense?

It's one thing to put a cherry-picked "golden nugget" into ANC in the RIGHT seat of a MD-11, but is the company really going to do that for both the LEFT and RIGHT seats in CDG & HKG??

If that was so advantageous to the company why would they even propose this LOA to begin with? --- just go direct to that game plan.

From mgmts perspective, is what we would be asking in a counter offer really that much more expensive to offeset the risks associated with running these FDAs with all "new hires"?

There are clear benefits to the company to have experience and continuity in these FDAs. I think they need and will sweeten the deal if they are confronted with that decision.

I think this was a very low ball offer that the MEC was premature in recommending to the masses --- we should decline and can do better.

A housing (and our COLA) based on exchange rates needs to added --- and upgraded, by at least double, to that equal to O-4 or O-5 housing allowances in the DOD, or some other relevant benchmark.

The HHG weights need to increase dramatically (...currently they are less then I received as a 2Lt going to Japan 21 yrs ago!) Once again, what benchmarks were used?

Medical and dental needs to be explicitly addressesed.

Quality English-based schooling needs to be addressed

This is actually a very classic low ball negotiating strategy on the company's part --- because if we turn it down and then the company comes back with even somewhat reasonable offers in
these areas, we will truly believe we are getting a much better deal, when in fact it won't be "gold plated" at all --- just equal to other benchmarked organizations.

Unfortunately, I think the process to date has already built distrust between mgt and the pilots regarding the QOL at these FDAs, and the folks who bid will still be very junior in the right seat --- looking for a quick upgrade....and empty nest Captains in the left seat --- looking for some adventure.

Of course, some wise old heads have told me --- never bid a new domicile or a new aircraft until you get a good look at a real bid pack --- and that will be very hard to do for quite some time.

If I had a vote --- I'd vote "NO"

(...looks like I'll miss the vote by about two weeks)

 

[HoursHore]

You only get a 3000lbs allowance when you move HHG back, which equates to like 3 rooms. Guess they already know how big a place you can get over there for what they are offering.

 

[stonewall]

I have no intention of going overseas, but I'm in the NO category.

And, while I DO acknowledge all the hard work the MEC and NC put into our last contract, I'm getting very weary of the MEC's "you don't appreciate me" emails. It's like they need a hug or something.

 

[AlbieF15]

I would appreciate seeing some of them back on the line.

 

[AC560]

I hear Shenzhen is nice this time of year...

Shekou is pretty decent if your single.

 

[LaidOffAgain]

I would appreciate seeing some of them back on the line.

Albie,

Not to mention being back on the line, If this LOA is such a great deal, then I think they should bid HKG and use that generous shipping allowance to move aaaa nothing I guess. And fill an apartment with that great 10k, oh and how do you get around? Well, non the less this is an awesome deal!? NOT!!