"Can anyone tell me of an occasion when pilots in BA have put their necks out for the benefit of pilots employed elsewhere in the industry?"
That is exactly what BA pilots are doing now!!!, many pilots in BA have worked in other airlines and indeed other industries and are not, as some posters on here imply, BA nigels who think only of BA. Most BA pilots have worked hard to get where they are, and looking at the other posts on this forum many other pilots are also trying to get that job in BA to have all the benefits it brings.
It is widely recognized that most airline managers see BA terms and conditions as the upper limits to the expectation of their pilot workforce, therefore if the BA T&C's are eroded then there is no way other UK airlines will enhance their T&C's they will be eroded too.
So in answer to the above question in trying to protect their own T&C's constantly they are protecting others, and now more than ever with the "credit crunch" and their support for strike action.!!!