Don't forget there's an umpire!
The Fair Work comissioners hear arguments based upon the law at the time. If you can demonstrate that you have incresed productivity since your last EBA, if you can demonstrate that even CPI increases have not been passed on to you - when they have been to many industries - if you can demonstrate that Alan is singling out employees as a cost-cutting measure, then you can gain something here.
FWA cares not how Alan and his board makes money, nor whether they do or do not. The managements' job is to steer the ship, and if fuel costs went up to $300 a barrel, you would still continue.
To assume that workers costs do not rise is simply bullying tactics, and the simplest of those is "Be thankful that you have a job." I remember one J-shaft EBA when we tied our bonuses to those of QF execs. 747 captain mates in QF got $2000 annual bonus. As an A320 F/O I got $8500. Snouts in troughs, ladies and gentlemen.
If there is a trough - put your snout in. The survival of the company isn't your job, neither should it be your concern. It is the job of the CEO, management, and the board, and IMHO it is about time they got off their collective loathesome spotty behinds and started running an airline!!!
Sheeez! Sorry if I went over the top there, but all I'm saying to you all is think, OK?
Cheers,
Ned