Cathay Pacific pilots are refusing to face up to what many people have had to accept during the past few years, that is, downsizing. This comes in many forms from some form of reduction in your package, to losing your job altogether. Can they somehow be exempt from this economic reality? I doubt it.
Either way they are in for a reduction in income. The first option is that they accept the offer of Cathay Pacific's managers - less money. The second is that they proceed with this petulant strike, wreck the airline and end up putting some or all of themselves out of work - no money at all.
If they take option two they may have to answer to all sorts of redundant people both in Cathay Pacific and the travel industry.
The sight of somebody earning US$250,000 per annum talking about going on strike is definitely a Kodak moment.
Let's thank them for the element of humour which they have introduced into a dreary news environment.
As for safety concerns, I perceive from the point of view of a uninformed consumer that aircraft maintenance is more important than who is actually flying the 'plane'.
