... is that when comparing the T&C of VA with QF and the like, they are not comparing apples with apples.
Both carriers operate heavy jet aircraft on trans-pacific routes. They both look like pretty similar apples to me.
To extend the 'apple' analogy a bit though, one company is selling apples having been in business for a long time, the other started business last year. In the world as I tend to see it, apple pickers, machinery drivers, mechanics, front line staff or whatever doing essentially the same job in the new start should be smart enough to demand similar remuneration as is on offer at the place down the road that has been around for a bunch of years. Of course if the 'other stuff' on offer from the start up means that you don't feel the need to be remunerated in the same form as the legacy company then that's a trade off the individual needs to weigh up. It appears that the 'other stuff' needs to account for 50-60% of the terms and conditions on offer at the legacy company. Is that worth it? Is the prospect of a quick promotion going to make up for the lack of conditions in the first few years? Based on the numbers that I've seen I wouldn't think so.
Given the experience level that VOz contributors keep telling me exists in VA, I still can't see why they value themselves so far beneath what is on offer at the legacy carrier- even if all the other stuff is taken into account.