usually the only changes are when we're on standby the next day and the company knows we're needed
Your post sums up why the only people qualified to comment on this thread are bmi pilots. You clearly work in a completely different environment. I suspect the only thing we have in common is flying aeroplanes. The company have dictated that you have to call in even if you are on days off the next day!. Yes - nothing to do with being on standby. bmi pilots don't just get called off standbys which is a fair cop, they are subjected to all sorts of roster changes at the last minute from lates to earlies from not nightstopping to nightstopping. This is all about sticking plasters rather than sorting our the real problems. Millions of pounds have been spent trying to sort out these problems over the last few years and the pilots have been promised time and time again that the problem will be sorted. Rather than being sorted we are all taking a step backwards -who is accountable for that!
Don't compare what happens in your company to what happens in any other company.