Over the last 10-15 years there has been a general conditioning of workers by government and companies against the concept of unionisation and of the merits of being a a collective and organised workforce whose strength lies in unity and numbers, toward the individual work contract, especially by the current government.
This has been done over the years in a covert and not so covert way by media, anti union legislation (or attempted) as well as high profile strikes (Patricks??) that was supported by the government.
People who have been living in good conditions and working in conditions that were hard fought and won for them by previous unionists (members and reps) at great suffering and pain have become complacent, ungrateful and too self righteous (why should I pay my dues - what does the union do for me? all the while enjoying super, holidays, sick days etc etc won by unions and workers before them) and this suits employers because the workforce is steadily becoming weaker and weaker, and the actual workers are becoming complacent under these conditions.
At the end of the day, most workers have forgotten the power they have access to - not individually - but through one another acting collectively. (I always wondered why bank staff are so poorly paid and treated considering what power they hold. Imagine if you will, all banks shutting down for 1 or 2 weeks across the nation stopping the money supply!! Those staff could be getting a much better deal for themselves and their customers courtesy of companies who CAN afford it).
Therefore,what we need is to create a stick big enough to threaten management with.
Someone mentioned this before, but we should all be responsible for strengthening our union. It should be that if you are a professional pilot (airline or GA) you are either in the union (with us) or you are against us.
The union may have to modernise. It may have to spend money on
PR etc to get the numbers up. It may have to carefully consider what kind of value it can add to itself to make it an organisation that pilots WANT to join, can gain BENEFIT from (except in the labour struggle etc etc. That's another topic, and a think tank would be required).
A strong organisation, comprising of committed membership is the only way to go - go to a building site and offer to work as a labourer as a non-union member for less than union rates, and see how long you will last - if you get my 'drift'. I am sorry if this seems a bit 'nasty', but sometimes people, especially selfish, self centred and sef seeking individuals, need to be forced into what is right for the collective (and in turn, for themselves).
I can assure you, that if a WELL THOUGHT OUT collective action was undertaken, (that means strengthening the union(s), proper planning for eventualities, consultation with members, and last but not least, retaining a GOOD or best
PR/Advertising company playing the media to propagandise the struggle to the public to gain public support, as well as negotiated support from other unions in Australia) then management, to save their own @rses, would have to stabilise the workforce and get back to making profit. That may mean making reasonable demands (bythe unions) and also asking for reasonable concessions from management.
My intention is not to bleed the company - but just to obtain fare and commensurate conditions for what are 'unique' workers with a 'unique' place amongst 'workers', as well as allow companies to make profit from our labour.
It's about compromise - something that is fast disappearing from our language and understanding.