proplever, not much support for you here but I will say, I liked the post re the psycho-analysis by Kaptin M.
And I don't like being grilled about when I joined.
But here's my question: Since it is the airline management that calls the shots, do you really think the influence wielded by the IPG is anything more than lip service when it came to setting down the conditions of service?
And when it was laid on the table, if you took any average joe off the street, do you really think that bloke is going to turn down a better job offered today in favour of a maybe with qantas tomorrow or after an out-right "No" from same? Think about how many pilots there are out there compared to how many make it to AN/QF (now obviously just QF)