easternboy,
I agree with most of what you're saying. There's no secret to how to achieve gains in our eba, ie tough negotiation and not allowing management to divide us with spurious rumours.
If it comes to industrial action, we have to be united. Last time around a lot of people I know weren't prepared to strike, even though in the lead up they all complained about the pay and conditions.
I don't mean to bag previous Eastern staff, but let's face it, if Southern and Sunstate crews were on a better wicket in the years before we joined, it tells me that it was possible for Eastern crews to get a better deal too. If they'd been stronger, we wouldn't have needed to ask for BASICS in the last 2 eba-s.