Ok,
I understand where your coming from, sometimes you dont get the praise that maybe is deserved, maybe because the other people in the office feel they work just as hard as ops, i am aware that ops are very hard working.. and know of situations of the 'nightmare shift' going from 1500-0000 then 0600-1500.. when they stay on site for the 6hrs rest, then being woken up by the cleaner at 5am.. although this isnt nice, it isnt often, in fact very rare.. Although you are mostly correct about atlantic, i think that it DOES work generally in life, i have known people with ATPL(f) work as cabin crew for 6 months or a year, with no promise of a job.. and it has worked.. a bit of sticking power stands for a lot in todays modern society where if you dont find a job, you go and do a type rating,failing that, you pay some robbing airline for your liine training (also setting a very bad president for future pilots)
I must apologise, Im going off on one now!!