The big issue with many staff has been that it came to this. Many feel betrayed by the government, management, airline group, all quoting previously a lot of hot air and a hidden agenda which is slowly coming to fruition...i feel sorry for NSL which undoubtedly will be a "nice little earner" for them.(although as employees with 5% shareholding we might get a fee starbucks) The biggest problem for our colleagues is that a lot of the contracts are losing money so as part of any buy out, unless these contracts can be renegotiated, expect further fragmentation of NSL and freezing or even cuts in salaries.
As for the bung? It would have been inapropriate bribing for the votes and the union were right to refuse it....howevever if management had that in their warchest then I agree the union should push hard on the pay issue. It won't make amends but it might just leave some members with a little faith in a union, before subscriptions are cancelled.
