That's straying dangerously close to BNP territory pinkaroo. What has the nationality of newfleet employees to do with anything? Most temps I've flown with at LHR are from the UK and they are the ones who'll be crewing newfleet. Contrast that with the large numbers of Spaniards, Italians, French and Irish flying on present contracts.....
Also remember that £1600 per month after deductions would require an equivalent salary in the real world of around £24000, or around £2000 per month gross. Median full-time weekly earnings in London in 2008 were £613, and just £500 in the South East excluding London. £1600 per month is not a poverty wage but it does highlight just how lucrative some of the existing contracts are.
I happen to think some of our cabin crew are worth double the money they get. The problem is not that many are worth that money so the union agreements generate a huge salary bill but don't generate corresponding value for money. Add to that the fact that no CSD ever gets demoted back to Purser regardless of performance and you can see the problem. Perhaps the new performance management program the company is working on will address that, allowing those who excel to be rewarded and those who don't to face the consequences, but while we continue to put 4 supervisory grades on a jumbo on inflated wages simply because thats what the union wants then newfleet is going to appear a no-brainer for the company.