I agree wholly with ihtlucy. Surely always the customer comes first?
PR, good or bad, will hit the punters right twixt the eyes. Pay & benefits above the market will be spotted (I know I'm boring) and impact on support or otherwise in the industrial struggle.
CaptK and Papa2 -when you joined, were you aware that planes fly 24/7./365(ish) and tend to get busier still during holidays? If you were, what's the problem? If you were not, then you can legitimately complain.
Oh:
Easter, New Year, XMas, May Day, Whit weekend, etc. etc. Who else works?
Police, nurses, doctors, ambulance workers, fire & rescue workers, bus drivers, taxi drivers, shop workers (yes them too), traffic wardens, council workers, ...
Not a convincing argument to me.