United does not have bases in Sydney or Glasgow.
BA does not have bases in New York or Auckland
Qantas does not have bases in LA or Warsaw....
The idea that EK should offer to base pilots "where they want to live" as some sort of magnanimous favor is ridiculous.
They will base pilots outside of Dubai when either (or both) it is the only way to attract and retain enough qualified people or it is economically prudent to do so as it cuts the costs of accommodation and provides a reserve coverage at a remote hub.
Personally I think it is inevitable that this will happen eventually. The cost of housing people in Dubai is becoming ever more difficult and expensive, the network is becoming more extensive, and I don't know of any airline that has 450 aircraft operating out of one base. I wouldn't think it would be closer than five years away, however.
Till then, the fact is we signed on with a Middle-eastern airline, so where did you expect to have to live?