GB, it seems to me that you need to differentiate between two types of pilot.
If AJ needs pilots with (a) a lot of experience on type and (b) specialist abilities that are needed in the introduction of the type, then yes, that is where individual contracts have always had a place, even before AWA.
A head of training, fleet managers, planners, c+t with bagfuls of CASA approvals, yes. These are people with skills that the employer wants to get in place. Key people. Seniority is not an issue, these people are needed because they have climbed the mountain before. They can make something where nothing existed before.
Those people aren't reading this.
But when it comes to line pilots -- are you suggesting that the entire 787 fleet will be manned by expats on AWA? No existing JQ guys or new hire GA pilots moving up the ladder to take FO and cruise FO positions?
I can't see that happening.
In the meantime, the ABS statistics, the Griffith Work Time Project, the OEA data, all say -- for people doing the same job, with no differentiation between skills (eg a captain is a captain is a captain. One goes sick, call in another one), the result is the same. Line pilots under AWA are worse off in salary and conditions compared to line pilots on EBA and CA.