Why does the idea of a 19-seat aircraft (I heard it was Let 410s) and two crew make no sense? Two flight crew are required by the regulations.
19 seats or less: no cabin crew required, nor one necessary on 8-minute inter-island sectors. It saves money.
Reference your other comment: Pilots will always leave airlines eventually such as Rockhopper as they presently operate. They offer the chance to build what are, for some, the first proper public transport hours and then move on to bigger airlines. Single pilot, no autopilot IFR work is generally accepted to be hard work and many think it a good way of earning your 'wings' in the airline world. Quite right too, and good command preparation.
What is not right is the situation where people think they can take the training and all the rest of it that the airline provides and then disappear with a week or less notice. Some form of commitment on both sides is required. Thus you can expect some form of legally binding bond if you work for them. Seems only fair.
On the Trislander and islander fleet it is probably true that your number of take-offs and landings will probably exceed the number of flight hours, especially inter-island.