Liv, if you close your eyes and think of the words "John Singleton", what is the first thought that comes to mind? For me it is ADVERTISING. He is an expert in the science of modern propaganda ("The aim of modern propaganda is no longer to modify ideas,
but to provoke action." -
Jacques Ellull,
Propaganda).
He is first and foremost a salesman, and he is "selling "you a future, his future: a vision of returning a once glorious airline to its proper and rightful place in the Australian psyche. In your case, he has provoked action, to suspend disbelief and back
HIS plan and actively attempt to convince others, against all the uncomfortable feelings you clearly have.
The reason he wants to do a deal with the unions is to garner their support, to back his plan against that of the current managers in Canberra and fund manager suites. He is expecting the unions to then put the pressure on whoever he believes will achieve his objective.
The rock solid iron clad guarantee won't be worth the paper its printed on once the asset strip & looting has been completed and the carcass is left behind into bankruptcy/liquidation/re-organisation.
There is a well established historical account of the looting process engaged in by managers of Singo's ilk. Think of this paper, by 2001 economic Nobel Prize winner
George Akerlof as their template
: Looting the Economic Underworld for Profit.