The problem with pilot unions is that they are not unions.
You only have to look at the names to realise that. Nowhere is the word union mentioned.
Many "associations" see themselves as proxies for management and try to take the "reasonable" approach to industrial relations.
Unions are not about reasonable, they are about power and the perception of power.
You will only achieve what you are willing to fight for. It will not be given to you on a plate simply because you make a reasonable argument, and real unions understand that and work on that basis.
Management fully realise this. Hence Leo H-C.
And the constant downward pressure on T&Cs industry wide.
On a $100 fare we are only talking a few dollars, but it comes out of the workers pocket, not the customer's. This is because divide and rule has pitted airlines against airlines in predatory and sometimes financially suicidal behaviour with ridiculous fares, sometimes at below cost, yet the respective pilots stand by and watch their mutual positions erode without a wimper.
Not long ago I saw a graph of the real value of an air ticket over a 30 year period (from Quantas, I think) as compared to a house, car, loaf of bread, and the airfare had sunk by 90% compared to a car, more than that against a house.
A significant portion of that has come out of the employees pockets.
Until the pilots ( and other airline workers) realise they are cutting each others throats and devise a plan to counter this, the trend will continue.
edited because finger is quicker than brain