They are not stupid, and obviously they think they can undercut their own contractors so the labour has to becoming from somewhere.
I agree Neville they are not stupid, but I simply cannot see the labour supply. I read the opinion, but factually why is Australia different? The ABS put out whole documents as do Treasury on demographic and supply problems, why would pilots be different? All I would suggest is look at the population profiles across the Western world, concentrate on demographics and you will see an emerging problem: lack of skilled supply. In a global market that is really important. retirement rates at Australian airlines are experiencing the same rise as those abroad. You don't expect management to tell you that now do you?
If i were your IR I would try it on, it worked every time before. spooked pilots convinced of their own vulnerability are already a spent force.. Whether Jetconnect or Network or any other boogie man can actually meet the requirements of crew numbers, standard or schedule is irrelevant, convincing pilots it is on the door step is a frightfully effective technique. Whole empires are funded on it.
To our thinking they are trying it on, it worked before! Perhaps individual contractors withdrawing co-operation may show the emperor has no clothes. Perhaps not, but if one fails to understand the broader macro drivers then Australian exceptionalism may continue to reduce terms and conditions.