Stubby, think about it. A private negotiator gets paid irrespective of the outcome. Under the AFAP, negotiators are pilots working for the company concerned, with assistance from the union. Pilots understand what pilots want and also have a better understanding of what needs to be achieved.
It begs another question. What do you do when the company refuses to negotiate with your private negotiator? What do you do if the company pays your private negotiator for a particular outcome?
Perhaps the reality in the present time is very few in Aus have actually had to put their own job on the line for better terms and conditions, but expect those conditions to be delivered by somebody else, (the AFAP employees in this case) without support from the people they are attempting to help.