Nice idea, but have to agree with the majority of posts questioning the viability of this notion. You face opposition on two sides.
Airline management are the most obvious. With the likes of BALPA, and such, to contend with already, they are never going to accept another major workforce within the industry becoming as well organised or represented.
The second is the other unions themselves, or to be perfectly blunt, the pilots. If you looked back over the last twenty years you would probably find a well trained, resourceful and hard working Duty officer, would be equal to a senior first officer in the pay scale. Not now chaps! If you want to be really synical about it then ask your self this. Everytime the pilot unions improve working conditions for their members, better their working condtions or reduce their working hours (leading to needing to employ more staff), then do you honestly think that additional cost is swallowed by the investors or shareholders.
Of course not. It is covered by reducing costs elsewhere. i.e us!
This isn't meant to degenerate into pilot bashing. Everyone has the right strive to better their position and value. Their unions have many years behind them, and to achieve that sort of 'punch' takes time, hard work and educating of the industry.
Before Ops or dispatch can seriously think about having some sort of eqivilant representation we must put ourselves into a position of becoming valued for the job we do, and the contibution we make to the industry. First things first. Lets get that licence. Some sort of recognised qualification in order to do the job would do nothing but good for our position as a profession, and ultimately nothing but good for those people at the pointy end whos lives are affected by way we do our jobs each day. Many pilots seem to scorn the idea of us being properly trained and qulaified in our jobs. Why? If I was you I would rather have someone at the other end of the phone (or radio) who knew exactly what they were doing and took pride in it as well. Instead there seems to be a growing trend of employing complete 'newbies', giving 'em half a weeks training and then throwing the unfortunate sods in at the deep end. Why? Cause you don't have to pay em much to do it!
Ok maybe some of the above a bit over the top and almost deserving of an 'X-Files' award for conspiracy plots, but maybe not so far from the truth if you look at the overall big picture.
At the end of the day, whatever you do, have fun doing it!