...talk to, Pilots, cabin crew, check-in, cleaners, toilet dump guy, baggage handlers, catering, everyone says the same thing. They're short-staffed, managers are unapproachable, and always have a threat that if the game isn't lifted, that the work will be outsourced, or that contract casual staff are coming in and eroding the workplace.
I had a conversation with some domestic check in staff while waiting for a plane once and was surprised that they were dealing with the same issues as engineering. As you said, lack of staff, threats etc.
From what I have heard, as far as outsourcing heavy maintenance goes, we are still the best value for money option. So you would think there would be no need to consider sending A330's offshore? No need to bully the workforce into accepting flexibilities that the workforce were already willing to participate in voluntarily without shoving into an EBA (people changed shifts to accommodate 737 checks without needing it writing). Accept this or we are gone in 5 years time. BULLYING!
The bullies will lead us to believe that accepting the one way flexibilities brought the 330's to us. It didn't. The fact that we are the best value option brought them. It was merely an exercise is bullying the workforce.
It's all about pushing the work force around and treating them like dogs as Sunfish put it.