I don't quite get the connexion between driving a 400 tonne Boeing worth $100,000,000 with 400 passengers onboard, and driving a 5 tonne helicopter worth $5,000,000 with 10 passengers onboard, and expecting the same salary in both cases for doing so.
I reckon $130,000 is quite a good salary for case 2 above, particularly considering in most instances you're at work for less than 6 months of the year. But if they want to try squeeze some more via the oil producers then go for it. The oil companies are certainly cashed up e.g. the Saudi's are probably producing close to 10 million bbl/day at less than $2/bbl average, add the current price/bbl into the equation and that's a lot of money.
I reckon it's a shame that our ore gets dug out of the ground and sent overseas at a $1/tonne (or whatever it is), and coming back here as steel at $1,000/tonne (or whatever it is). And our liquified gas goes overseas at a fraction of a cent/litre (or whatever it is), and I've got to pay $30 to fill up my BBQ gas bottle. I don't know what the ore train drivers or the haul truck drivers or anyone else that's critical to these operations gets paid, or whether they feel they're not getting their fair share of the huge profits being made by the mining industry at the moment.
One thing is for sure, the oil companies and operators will have a plan B that will very quickly overcome any problem brought about by aircraft remaining on the ground due to industrial action. Remember the pilot's strike of the 80's, they all got screwed. Remember the Cathay Pacific pilots, they all got screwed. And the oil companies have much deeper pockets than any airline.
There's a well known saying that's apt, fail to learn from history and you're bound to repeat it. Let's hope cool heads prevail and the guys can secure an outcome that is to their favor. Much better that than risk winding up not having an income.