Where did I advocate the line of thinking you describe?

Even if we behave like the true professionals some us have forgotten to be, there is no assurance whatsover we'll get what we diserve. We'll only get what we fight for. I'm only saying we stand NO chance of succeeding if we think being disgruntled is some sort of strategy. In effect, the other poster presumes that management perceives a penalty in our current state of mind. I guess the rationale for not acting professional is that management will be dismayed by our sad demeanor, take pity on us, and pay us more for the sheer pleasure of seeing us smiling in our crisp uniforms, and hearing us make beautiful PA's.

I'll say it again: management couldn't care less how we feel, as long as we get the plane to destination, and especially as long as they get to pay us what they pay us now. That's what matters. They like the current state of affairs. Nothing makes them happier. If I was a VP of Flt Ops, and I was reading that my guys are holding out on PA's, dry-cleaning expenses, and personal hygiene, or that they were playing Doom or Grand Theft Auto in the cockpit, with the hope that this would cause me to give them a raise... I'd pee myself from laughing silly.

So to answer your last question, I have a pretty good idea how NOT to make them treat us like professionals: acting like pouting wives, or like children in a tantrum.