Bronco - To be honest I am not sure what to do, as I have said I am inexperienced in this industry. I do agree that our terms and conditions have been eroded, but as GIZA has said it is happening everywhere. I have a good degree, A levels, GCSE's etc and was offered a job for £16K a year. Before you ask, yes it was a decent job with good training and no the pay did not go up much over the years. In fact it stopped at about £25K after 5 years!!! Things like that make me think that even though things have been eroded, life as a pilot is not the pile of compost that people portray it as.
Giza - you're right, everywhere in the public sector things are a lot worse than they are here, hence my opinion that things are not THAT bad.
Studi - fair point, perhaps I am being too windy?
I considered becoming an underground train driver while waiting for a job flying. They get paid a few thousand more than me. However, I think they are really overpaid for what they do and only get that money because they can. Striking ruins London every year and the management give in while the whole network crumbles. Certainly not something I want to see in Aviation.
I agree with Sigmund's thoughts on seniority. At the risk of starting a flame war with everyone else, it certainly seems like madness to me that we (effectively) can't swap companies. Large banks and the like swap employees all the time and in some cases the training costs for them far outweigh what the airlines have to bear for us. I am loyal to my company, but who knows where I will be in 10 years time? Certainly seems like concrete boots to me.