I have been watching this thread with interest as I have just returned to a company that incorporates a bond system.
I was, until recently, against the idea of bonding.....but.... my postion has changed somewhat due to the fact that the there are two sides to bonding.
On the one side, you are commited to the company for the set period, if you leave before that time then you pay a pro rata amount back to the company. The company is protected finacially.
On the other side, if your circumstances change, you CAN leave the company, paying the pro rata amount and there are no hard feelings.
The problem with some employers, in particular small operators, is that there is no measure on the MORAL return of service. It could be 2 years or 10. If you leave a company that has endorsed you on a type, there is no way of knowing if it is the "appropriate" amount of time or not.... you risk being branded a "pin puller", or "ticket collector" if for some reason your 50 years of service is deemed to be not enough to that employer.
With a bond, you have the ability to leave if you need to without the moral obligation of a return of service. This can be an extremely good thing, as there is no come back from the company.... it was their idea.
Cheers
rotorque