Now BA's flight crew are on the receiving end and in a terrible quandary
Oh Jeez. We're really not.
No one likes giving up any of their terms and conditions. Just ask anyone thinking about joining SHELL, the last FTSE 100 company to close its final salary pension scheme to new members. One wonders whether somewhere in a galaxy far far away there are a bunch of oil exploring hold poolers bemoaning the current workforce for neglecting the responsibilities of their "stewardship".
Some people around here need to get real. Aviation is a changing game, always has been and always will be. Is this deal perfect? No. What it does do though is ensure that all pilots will remain on a single seniority list. It ensures future opportunites for promotion and is infinitely better than the alternative, which would be to play a game of high stakes poker with a crap hand. You might win 10% of the time, but that is a risk the majority of us are unwilling to take.
So, to review. Does this mean you will earn slightly less over the course of a career? Yes. On balance, is BA still the best outfit to work for in the UK over the long term? Yes.
Like others on these forums have said, if you have a different opinion then head east and try your luck negotiating for better.