There seems to be no doubt that the majority are against SSTR's and lets face it, if you want to spend 20k to get a job then you are either filthy rich or have serious issues
However, this thread is about maintaining Ts and Cs. What hasn't been mentioned is this. The airline industry is arguably the most competative it has ever been, mainly due to the boom in low cost travel and the soaring price of oil. I have worked in the industry for 12 years and it has changed immensely. The beancounters are constantly looking to lower their costbase in an effort to survive and who knows, maybe make a profit. Lets say that SSTR's were no more. These airline bosses are not going to take on the cost, but are more likely going to look how they can absorb them in other ways and perhaps this is a greater threat to our Ts and Cs. Even now many airlines that don't have SSTR's have reduced wages for the first two or three years or so. And on top of that you are bonded.
Most of us agree with what you say OSOP but even if SSTR's were banned I suspect that the airlines would still recover their cost one way or another, particlularly the loco's. Unfortunately there is no such queue. Whether it is making your own luck or being a "rich Kid", as Danny says most do what they can to give themselves a better chance of getting a job. Sadly this makes it a fairly uneven playing field.