Tell you what guys and girls, at least you get the chance to vote. Other departments in this airline get given the 2% like it or lump it - theres no vote.
Weekends - whats a weekend? When the flightcrews break the plane, people often lose their days off to come and fix it. Try working 16-20hour days for four days in a row, then a couple of days off (if you don't end up coming back in to help out due to shortages - eg crew check in at the moment). If you guys go crew down out of spite, you cause problems for your colleagues. If we don't go to work, our aeroplanes don't fly, we don't make any money, airline stops, people lose jobs.
Be thankful you have a union on your side, you work in a very fragile industry, don't make it harder than it already is. If you don't like it then leave and stop causing problems for the others that are there to pick up the pieces.
Its the same throughout the whole industry, every company is in the same situation. We are lucky that we have as many extra perks as we do, some companies I've worked for don't even come close.
For the work load that is asked for us all under normal circumstances, we are well looked after, when people start to be bitchy, thats when it falls apart and gets harder. Today I heard nothing but complaints - but they were all caused by your colleagues trying to be militant - its called teamwork - if you all turn up to work, your job will get easier. If flights go to plan we'll make more money therefore we all get rewarded each airshare. Cause problems, we lose money, things get cut back, people lose jobs - I've seen it happen before.
If you feel strongly enough to strike, then you'll feel strongly enough to leave. I'm sure there are plenty of youngsters out there willing to take your place instead.