dont waste your money joining BALPA.
Forget about salaries it wont happen unless you make yourself essential to the school.
forget about banding together FI's are thinly spread working for different employers.
Many of this type of company demand excessive loyalty from you but will give non back, the only thing they understand is you voting with your feet.
the fact of the matter it is that being a FI is not a career, nor in my opinion is VFR charter on singles, they are jobs
you need to get into twins i.e 1) offshore 2)corporate 3)police 4)air ambulance 5)private owner
you can either live with the £45 flight pay or you cant, no point wasting your time worrying about it.
I couldnt, had mortgage/wife/kids/car payments etc so had to get into something else, depressing but true
regards
CF