There's no comeraderie where I fly, there's no updating the pilot behind you on the same route about the weather conditions etc. This is reflective of the industry on a whole, you are on your own, GA is something you survive alot of the time due to good luck rather than good management. Rather than be a good experience it is something you bear until you make it into an airline and are covered by an EBA.
Well, Owen, looks like you are working for the wrong operator then. This is one area that Tasair isn't actually too bad. The pilots, bar a few wankers (the kind that also wont have a beer with you after work, not that you'd invite them), are a pretty supportive group. Quite normal to stay back to help push planes away etc. and have a yarn about the day. I didn't leave on the best of terms with management, but the workmates I had there are something that I do miss.
On the case of Government intervention in Tasair, other operators would not get the same 'protections' 'subsidies' and 'bailouts.' They are tired of trying to make a quid on an unfair playing field. These other operators provide just as good and better services, they run on the smell of an oily rag. If the market was allowed to operate as it should there'd be less operators charging more realistic prices, then perhaps investment in better aircraft and better pay for pilots.
Once again, whilst far (really far!) from perfect, I think you'll find Tasair is still paying staff better than any other operator in Tasmania (unless, heaven forbid, the award is being enforced) and certainly is above average for GA.
It is the competition that has been under charging and under paying for years and contributed to the current situation! That and a certain personality that drives hundreds of thousands of students' dollars away every year.
They could do a lot better by listening more to the inputs of non-management staff though. Lots of wasted money elsewhere. It's pretty demoralising to know the work you're doing is making an absolute killing for the company, yet they still struggle because its being pissed away!!