Supply and demand is what drives the capitalist system. The workers want to get as much as possible; the employers want to pay as little as possible.
In the N Sea we "won" a reasonable salary by banding together and threatening to withdraw our labour. Nobody could stand in for us as we are a highly skilled workforce that can not be replaced easily; therefore we "won" our pay rise.
We as a group do ourselves down too often. We are a highly skilled workforce who serves a long apprenticeship to become a/c commanders. We are not the most highly paid workers in the oil industry. I live and work on a platform and have a very good idea of where we stand in the pecking order and it is not near the top!!
In my area of the N Sea $8000million of oil is produced per year. You have seen the oil companies profits! My company’s pilot’s salary bill is approx 0.0006% of that.
It is up to other areas to fight their own battles and demand higher salaries. In my neck of the woods it is becoming very expensive to get a license so supply and demand along with a strong will to be treated well may keep our salaries at a level our skill base demands!!
HF