DON'T CONFUSE INDUSTRIAL ISSUES WITH SAFETY. IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL.
As a former Journo, I do have some experience in these matters. A golden opportunity was missed in the Senate Enquiry. At the first mention of wages, the committee, and the public, stopped reading.
"Minimum rest breaks" is a safety issue. "Pilots whose wages are so low they can't afford to live properly" is an industrial issue. Of course it may lead to a safety issue, but that's a level of indirect relationship that simply does not survive in the public's mind.
The politicians get ruthless coaching in "Staying on message". The public thinks all pilots are heroes and they would love to support you: but you guys must learn to stay on message! Study Tony Abbot and Julia Gillard. You don't have to vote for them, but learn the technique :-)
If you have a safety issue, don't talk about wages or conditions. That's what the wharfies did, and that did not end well.
Cheers