Capt Kremin...There are two parts or answers as I see it to your post...
Firstly,I agree with your statement that we had the best job in the world from perhaps the 70's through to the mid 1990's...
The company also knew this and spent a considerable amount of time and energy on trying to fix this....the problem was that we were an acceptable target with less industrial strength than the tech crew....
I disagree with you about us seeing ourselves as an elite group because QF mainline tech crew would also fit easily into that description.It is all too easy to look at another group and take pot shots at them.I won't give examples of demeaning treatment from tech crew towards cabin crew during those years but it was more prevalent than it is now....In fact your comment about S/H being a breath of fresh air reminds me of the notable difference between the tech crew attitude to cabin crew on the 747 and the 767.....in fact the attitude to cabin crew from 767 techies was diametrically opposed to that of the 747 tech crew... As said in the previous post by Le 3rd Homme ,homophobic and misogynistic attitudes from the tech crew were the norm compared to todays tech crew....
One of the main differences between cabin crew and tech crew is that within tech crew you basically have one agenda.To fly and go home .....
With cabin crew you have so many groups that have different goal posts....
Secondly,I believe one of the main problems with cabin crew posts on PPRuNe and the reason why so much vitriol is present is that the union and it's supporters use this forum as a media outlet to put a positive spin on any agenda they have...
Then when there is any criticism of the union (and with livelihoods at stake there always will be) there is an almost instantaneous and violent reaction from the union and it's supporters.....hence the level of abuse and anger.
What is the answer....I don't know but I doubt anything will change in the near future unfortunately....