unfortunately, the SMARTEST thing management ever did was to promote pilots into management roles and then have THEM negotiate against their fellow pilots.
I maintain that to BREAK this trend, Unions will have to stipulate, and have the backbone to follow through with the promise that a: they WILL NOT negotiate with ex pilots and
b: any pilot who accepts a management role, in whatever capacity, is NO LONGER welcome in the pilot union. EVEN when they leave the management role and return to piloting.
A lot of "empire builders" want the best of both worlds, and the unions have not had the constitutional fortitude to deny them the safety blanket that they take with them to the management role.
be clear though... I am not suggesting for one moment that ones career should be blocked by attempting to further themselves into another field.... but I think that pilots unions should NOT be a backstop for those that try to sell out their brothers and sisters in a vein attempt to curry favour with their new master.