The problem with that, Officer, is that the people employed in the flying training industry are also professional pilots, and they make up a considerable part of the membership. Cutting off the "fresh blood" would be cutting their own throats.
Also, unlike the police force, pilots are employed by companies that may operate in completely different ways, or are in competition with one another. Some may compete for passengers, and some may compete for contracts. Dedicated passenger longhaul, as opposed to, say, night freight, involves very different crewing practices with very different terms and conditions -and most of this is mandated by the regulations.
I think you can see that the notion of one BIG BALPA looking after everyone on the same terms and conditions is totally impractical. Nice thought though.
Valid points however countered when you remember that by denouncing P2F doesn't mean that integrated schools will suddenly have nobody to train from 0-CPL/IR/ME, therefore the jobs of their FI's are not affected by Big BALPA making a stand. P2F would affect TRI's/training captains in companies who pursue and recruit these schemes and TRI's at a integrated school if they have the capacity.
All that many are asking for is that BALPA put a case forward to end this practice, not beyond their remit or abilities I'm sure.
I think what plod was getting at, is the big industry wide issues affecting all pilots such as pilot unemployment, immigration, training practices and unity are falling below an acceptable datum level that many pilots are unhappy with. However if you have been in an airline for a few years and have reached command you are pretty much cushioned from many of these issues by your seniority number and older style contract that tended to favour the reward of employees opposed to shareholders.
Be aware there is a growing number of pilots who's careers have came to a bump in the road due to the various factors that tend to affect our industry (terrorism, fuel price, global pandemics, ash clouds, mergers, administration and the recession). This group is by and large ignored and treated as a top-up revenue generator (you receive £800 per annum from an average captain, however 24 unemployed bring in the same amount).
I withdrew my financial support for BALPA when my patience was erroded, just one omission too many. I felt there was no forum or place for my voice to be heard and my perception of inactivity in prioritising major issues while active pursuing of minor, easy to win battles.
It just seems to me everything is just too cosy at the top of this organisation.