People that sit back and say 'the union is crap', 'the union does nothing'. Joining a union and doing nothing more than being a member is like joining the gym and blaming the Gym because you're not ripped. If you don't like it, get involved, become a delegate, put your hand up to be a negotiator. Most EA negotiations if your not a member you can put yourself up as an independent bargaining representative, and put your money where your mouth is and try and do better than the union.
As theheadmaster points out, everything is against the labour now with industrial laws voted in by your elected representatives that totally favour big business. They don't call it the unFair Work Commission for no reason! The unions go in and get the best they can with what they have. Everyone is all mouth, then vote Yes then complain what a crap deal it is.
Paragraph you point out about the fact that even with unions - ground handling was outsourced. The union took them to court, and ruled against QF. But again the IR laws are so piss weak that even though they were wrong, they will get away with it ! Don't blame the unions, blame the laws passed, voted in by elected officials WE elected that have allowed this situation to get as far as it has. Pilots are some of the highest paid EA labour in the country, if you think pilots are getting screwed imagine what it's like for cleaners and other 'lower level' jobs out there.