Widered: Maybe I misunderstood your post, but you seem to be arguing with yourself. Nothing has changed since recognition was last tried, but there is nothing to lose by trying again?
Things have certainly changed. The "if you don't like it
off" attitude was a luxury provided by the constant supply of pilots when airlines were going bust every few weeks. That is not happening at the moment.
There will be over 1000 good jobs to be had out east/ middle east over the next few years for those that want that life. Any airline who wishes to employ good people in Europe, rather than scraping the barrel for misfits, will have to offer reasonable T&C's. Nobody expects the return of the gentlemans' flying club era but those days were gone by the 90's when I was doing my SSTR. And the same arguments were raging even then about the unfairness of having to "buy" a job.
Incidentally I handed over my hard earned wonga for thier, admittedly excellent training to a little outfit called British Midland. The company formerly known as BMI, which is the company formerly known as British Midland (!). Not really a loco...
A change gonna come.