G'day FYSTI, it's a while since I operated to CAO 48, but without you supplying hours per annum and Aussie Dollar costs we won't get anywhere.
At the moment you seem to have a CEO who seems confrontational, and a workforce which appears equally confrontational. Are you satisfied that your unions know what cost the CEO wants business done at? Have they negotiated around that figure? If not you might go out of business. If you try and maintain the statuse quo I fear you will go the way of Nylex, fondly remembered, but replaced.
It's up to you. Are your unions maintaining the status quo, or ensuring your employer stays in business? Regardless of the 'after tax' salary, you need your employer to emply you long term. And if it's a tax payer subsidy, who takes a cut so that you profit?