Quite happy to de-bunk this myth for you...
National Jet Systems in Australia operate a few contracts, one of them being the QantasLink contract using Boeing 717's for Qantas. NJS do this as it is a lower cost base (read lower wages) than if Qantas did it in their own right.
Anyhow.... to join NJS today and go onto the 717 as an FO, you will have to salary sacrifice part of your wage for the cost of the endorsement, and you will also be employed under new 'B' scale wage conditions. (How ironic, the 'Low cost operator' setting up lower scale wages!!) This new B scale effectively means that as an FO, some or most of the longer term cabin crew down the back earn more than you!!!
So endeth the lesson, myth disproved
b.