I recall the cabin crew "strike" about 12-15 years ago. They were all mouth about their determination to strike until their demands were met.
On the appointed day some reported for work, and very few actually went on strike, they all started calling in sick instead, thinking that way they would be untouchable.
Well times have moved on and the option of going sick for three blocks of three days is hardly an option with the EG300? programme which they have signed up for.
If the management were to dismiss all those on the old contract then that would be unfair dismissal and they would be entiteld to compensation of around a weeks salary for each year of service. The figure will obviously vary from individual to individual, but lets say a figure of £5000 might be typical.
How long would it take to re-coup that money with new staff on new contracts?
If they are determined to stay out until their demands are met in full including items such as the re-opening of the Manchester base then I think their prospects are bleak. The original justification for all the regional bases Man, Gla and Bfs was that it saved the costs of crew nightstopping in those places, and that they crewed regional services from Man, but that's all in the past, those services are now Bacon/Be.
I wish them luck in trying to hang on to hard won T&C's in difficult times but I fear they are not going on win this one.