How many hours have you got Harry? Which part of the aircraft do you currently sit in when at work, (or is that stand-in for most of the trip)?
This thread neatly illustrates the sheer folly of entering the airline business as a pilot right now. Wannabe's be careful - you will reach a point where you are too far in to afford to back out yet rue the life you could have had had you stayed in the real world.
Actually Harry, though I am pretty sure you are a steward and not an employed ATPL right now, you are right up to a point. long term the whole business is heading to ruin and the contract culture is here to stay. The effects on safety will be ruinous, but hey, who cares these days?
Or do they? Funny how the British merchant marine went down the contract crew route and went to the loss of a ship per week around the world. Without passengers involved this was acceprted for quite a while until the insurers cried "foul" and demanded a return to high professional standards, axiomatic to which are decent, pensionable, stable, long term careers for merchant marine deck officers. The result? BP et al are now UK registered and crewed ships once more.
Funny how the worm turns. A few hull losses - I am appalled to have to say, and the UK civil air fleet will take the same route. Before then - chaos, led by those old sharks at BA. Danair was just the warm-up act!
Take care out there.