I feel sorry for you guys at the start of your career, but I feel that there are a few comments on this thread that might need a bit of a reply.
BALPA does not want to see pay to fly and to that end BALPA is involved as much as it can be to try and stop the practice. You can join BALPA as an Associate Member for £24 a year, free if you are still training. You can get involved with BALPA to try and help change things and to help with campaigns. Much goes on behind the scenes, that is not always publicised widely, but if you look around the website or call the office you will find out more. In fact BALPA is often looking for extra volunteers to help with campaigns. But remember that BALPA is really its members - BALPA has no sway directly on the airlines - BALPA members in airlines can fight to stop the airline introducing these schemes, but unless all the pilots are prepared to go on strike there is only so much that can be done.
The only way this practice will stop is if new pilots stop taking the deals. Currently there are lots of qualified experienced pilots looking for jobs. Many of those will remain out of work because new pilots choose to pay to fly. This only further erodes terms and conditions, and once those pilots have been used by the airline they will get rid of them and get in the next batch of pay to fly. This will continue ad infinitum, until new pilots put a stop to it. Once new pilots stop accepting these deals then airlines will have no choice but to pay a proper wage to employ the pilot with the best experience/ skills.
If anyone has time on their hands then why not write a balanced article for publication in The Log, BALPA's mag?
I have seen so many posts on various forums about it all being BALPA's fault and how its terrible for the new guys coming through. But you have to be smart and take some responsibility here - if no-one paid for their own type rating, the airlines would have to!!!!
So ultimately you are shooting yourselves in the foot by paying for your own type ratings and also with pay to fly. I know its really tough out there and most airlines expect it, but the only way that will change is when the airlines run out of people willing to pay to work. Until then, each pilot who gets to the end of their pay to fly scheme will simply be replaced by another. Bear that in mind when you sign up and send your cheque.
Perhaps energies could be channelled to this end - publicise to your fellow new pilots that no-one should accept pay to fly schemes. Of course, as mentioned previously, pilots can be selfish and there is bound to be someone who will break ranks. It happened over the last few years with type ratings and now its pay to fly.
Another campaign that is always worth a mention is this one:
FairPlane
This is a campaign to get more funding for flight training and/or get rid of tax on flight training.
Good luck guys!