No amount of union representation is going to change the fact that it's still a fantastic job that will never, ever experience a shortage of wannabes, many of whom will, quite rightly, be prepared to work for a pittance or even nothing, in the short term in order to achieve the career goal of a very well paid job doing something that they absolutely love. I started out as an instructor, paid only per flying hour, and in the worst winter months I took home around £500. I then worked for a turboprop operator, earning £22,000. A pathetic salary, yes, but did I mind? Absolutely not. My employer and I were both well aware that I wasn't going to stay and that I was just using the company as a stepping stone to something better. My (lack of) loyalty and (lack of) long term value to the company were priced accordingly. It was still a great job and while I may have been paid less than a bus driver, my bus driving contemporary could look forward only to a life of driving a bus.
Now I work for a large bizjet operator. On a good day, I have a leisurely start around midday, fly somewhere hot and sunny, arrive in time for drinks at the beachside bar and then go for dinner with a great bunch of guys and girls. A bad day is not much different. I get paid around £90,000 which seems a ludicrous amount of money for doing a job that is an absolute pleasure almost every day. Would I do the same job for a third of the salary? Absolutely. Do I begrudge the Spanish ATCO earning more than me? Absolutely not. He/she works in a windowless room and doesn't have half the fun I have. And has to go home every night! I imagine that in the world of aviation, I am not alone in loving my job, and as long as there are people like me who love their jobs there are going to be loads and loads who want to do the same job so why shouldn't a manager, in a highly competitive market, consider paying bottom dollar to fill a position? It's not like competent pilots are few and far between. There are thousands and thousands of them out there - probably as many as competent bus drivers. Anyone with a modicum of intelligence and a reasonable level of education can be an airline pilot.
Those of you moaning about salaries and the erosion of terms and conditions
ought to take a step back for a moment. There are still plenty of very well paid jobs in this business and as long as they exist, there will be plenty of not so well paid, and even very badly paid, jobs a little lower down the food chain to cater for those on their way up. Talk of a minimum wage for pilots is really quite insulting to those who do a far greater service to society (social workers, probation officers?) for a fraction of the our potential pay.