To be clear Krusty, the "unlimited sickleave" is not a "perk", as such. It implies that staff can go sick willy-nilly. That is not the case.
It was introduced years ago to remove a large overhang of unused sickleave from the accounts- to make the books look better, as unused defined sickleave sits as a liability on the books. So a former management, keen to make the books look better, managed to remove a large liability quickly and painlessly by offering controllers unlimited sick leave.
AsA manages sickleave use very tightly- because they have to. They have run staffing levels down to the point where absences generate airspace closures (and by their own admission, unplanned absences account for only about 30% of airspace closures). Controllers are required to show up fit for duty, and in spite of working as much extra duty as they are required to these days, still dont average more sick leave use than other shiftworkers. AsA has squeezed so much blood form the stone, they are just unable to get any more- hence the BS you are hearing in the media.
There is no doubt Russell will get his- he is just lasting as long as he can. Truth was sacrificed to that end long ago.