Spandex,
I think your looking at this from the wrong end, consider the new guys who have very little leverage entering this industry. It should really be the collective on the other side that are protecting the industry from employing such practises. As a workforce they can have a say if they choose to do so, such as the BMI/EZY guys when that dreadful p2f scheme was implemented. Those guys put a stop to that. If they hadn't then who knows, but I suspect the situation for guys looking for employment would be worse.
The older ones that complain about this are generally the ones that should have been doing something instead of nothing when airlines were testing the waters. Just my opinion and I had to pay for my type as well. I don't regret it as I was able to break into this industry. Will I consider paying a type again? I very much doubt it. I've already turned down a possible position based on that very requirement. Citing those reasons.