There are 2 separate issues here. The 'working for free' bit is fairly straight forward - everyone does what it takes to get on the ladder and is genuinely happy to do so at the time. No reasonable person can begrudge that to his fellow pilot. When I started, I willingly grabbed the first job that appeared and am not the slightest apologetic for it. There will, however, always be those who fortune has shone upon and their circumstances have enabled them to get ahead in life without having to work for rock-bottom wages in dreadful companies. They always somehow think they are better than the rest of mankind. AMEX is one such person, and feels he is somehow such a fine fellow that people have always been rushing to pay him hansomely for his services. If only we were all so talented and attractive as he is - life would be so simple!
The second issue is that the real problem lies in many so-called professionals simply not being willing to take a stand on behalf of their fellow pilots. We have a situation at Air2000 in the UK for example at the moment where the management have kicked out a number pilots and simply cut the salaries of others at the bottom of the seniority list. How BALPA ever permitted this I do not know. The bottom line is that 'for evil to succeed it is only necessary for good men to do nothing'. If we gladly accept these situations then we will be trampled on. That is where I would be choosing to fight rather than attacking the new entrants into the industry.