It's easy to say that TRSS guys shouldn't have "signed on the dotted line" but put yourself in their shoes. If it's the only deal being offered it doesn't leave you much room for manouvre does it?
I recently signed on the dotted line with BA. What was once the industry leader in terms of salary, is now offering a pay/pension deal that existing pilots would consider derisory, even though BA has a Balpa membership in the 90%s.
I think its clear that we should remember that BALPA is merely an umbrella organisation - it is the individual company CCs who are doing the negotiating. And who is the CC? Normal line pilots like you and me. They will be seeking the best available deals for their members using the best available deterrent. Neither BA nor EasyJet CC's will be jeopardising their existing pilots welfare for the sake of new joiners - neither will existing pilots be happy to go on strike for their more junior newbies. And if the eJ CC can't offer a credible deterrent, then there isn't much they can negotiate for, and new joiners will be lowest priority.
Better the new guys cop the costcutting than the rest of us, eh? But you start down that road and you will inevitably create a situation ripe for divide and conquer. When the company offers a nice sweet deal for junior FOs and it involves trading off the loss of loyalty bonus, I wonder how much support the bonus will actually get?
Unfortunately, management are better at playing this game than we are. And they are getting us right where they want us.
In short - if you are in eJ and you want to have a decent job - join up or be ready to take the consequences!