OK, more comments from engineering (and a few other feelings I have picked up on from other departments).
Your right, you are in for a rough ride. Most other departments do not support you. Simple truth is that you have turned down a pay offer that is over twice what UK staff got and just accepted. You have to admit that makes you look very selfish. In general nobody in VS is fantastically paid. Those that don't like that in the long run move on, we all have that option. Funny how many people come back though, I can think of 6 straight off.
It does seem to me that there is a lot of "sheep" about as well. If you check one of my earlier posts you will see I spoke to one CC who couldn't even explain the offer that had been made and was going to vote no because everyone else was. Pretty pathetic really.
Route allowances: As I said earlier as well, your allowances are far better than anything that we get when on company business. Another point that you will get no support on.
Crew down: Every flight I have departed this week has had crew call in sick for. Every time I have worked Christmas (about 5 in the past 11) or New Year ( 8 in 11) crew have called in sick. Nobody in my department who was rostered to work called in sick. We just get on with it. The sickness only exacerbates a situation, which I actually think you may have a point on.
There is also a lot of external pressures building at the momment. Possible recesession, oil prices rising, open skies. It seems that a lot of people in other departments realise this, not exactly the ideal time to take action is it?
One other story; I was in the galley working the other day. CC were chatting and one said "weren't those Strawberry Daquieries great last night" and went on to talk about a particular bar. Wish I could afford to go out and drink cocktails in that place. Managed to bite my lip and walk away before getting into a "discussion" on how hard up CC supposedly are.
Shame really as I get on very well with some crew. Hope things don't progress to the point where our assistance in those little things that makes your life easier is withdrawn due to bad feeling.
Think long. Think hard. This time it is not just about "you".