ILS27L,
just for clarity, I'm a pilot volunteer cabin crew. I was meant to go to Boston yesterday but enough 'normal' cabin crew turned up so I was sent home. If I had gone I would have earnt £195 after tax for the there and back. it's the same for captains or first officers. Divide that by flying hours, time downroute, or whichever way you like, but it's not £166/hr.
I'm not sure why you wonder why any pilot wouldn't volunteer, because of 'retaliation'. What do you mean by that?
As for secret supporters of the strike amongst pilots, there's no reason why any pilot wouldn't voice their opinion on the Flt deck, no-ones going to scratch their car or even get in a huff over it! They would say what they think. As it is, many pilots are married to cabin crew but in the last 18 months of this issue, I haven't heard one mention support for the Bassa position. (and the same goes for engineers, trms etc)