Chalky.
The pilots aren't the only ones that are being "s****ed around by the management", most of the workforce are. It's just that the pilots attitude is that they are the most hard done to group in the company.
Climb ltd
Yes it is better to change the system from within, but industrial action will just pi55 the management off even more and at the end of the day you will get probably nowhere apart from getting even more 5hit from the company.
You need to get into a position where you can change the system from within. However your biggest problem will be having to get by the pilot management, some of which got their posts by hard work and some got it by brown nosing.
The choice is yours, but don't go cutting off your nose to spite your face.