I think the "49ers" got screwed. I think they were canon foder in a wider war. I think it is a discrace.
That being said, the problem with the recruitment ban is that it simply wont work.
There will always be enough qualified pilots willing to work under these conditions.They will take the jobs while the guys who SUPPORT you get their carreer aspirations troden on. It's easy to dictate the rights and wrongs once you're behind is in an airline seat, but the fact is, desperate GA guys will find the prospect of an Airline job irresistable.
So what does the ban achieve?
Well, it gives you a convienent band of scapegoats. "We would have got the 49ers jobs back except for you bastards".
It also gives the company a group it KNOWS will always support it ahead of the union (after all, these guys have joined knowing the union hates them.)
So, divide and concour. It worked a treat for Air New Zealand.
My advice? Forget the ban. Let guys who are your allies and will join and support your association join the airline, THEN launch industrial action from a position of strength.
Your current course will only lead to division and failure.
Which would you rather...Moral victory, or REAL progress?