Oluf, damn right!
dushi, congrats on your job. But I cry for every up and comer who has been set aside due to suckers paying top dollar to sneak in line for a position. There is absolutely nothing professional about paying for a rating (or more), and ditto regarding the companies who demand this from you.
Union-lovers.... jupp! Just look at who have the best pension schemes for example. Lojality pays off. Whether it`s towards your union or towards your fellow airman.
Remember; a good union doesn`t come forward with guns drawn right out of the starting blocks, though the media likes to put that angle on things. A good union is a formidable negotiator for its members, and those not happy with their democracy are always free to leave.