Perhaps that is why the unions and the industry are stuck in a rut and why some captains show such blatantly 'old school' thinking on the flight deck.
Some people were caned when they were in school - perhaps we should bring back that for these lucky young people who manage through hard work and determination to get a job soon after graduation! I am constantly stupefied by people who think that just because they had to go through hell to get their jobs then everyonw else should have to as well.
Sure there will always be freeloaders but there is also a lot of hard working people. Why should'nt they walk inot a job and expect the unions to help them out. Times are changing and people need to change with them.
What the last gentleman is paying his union fees for is protection for the industry as a whole. If the union does not help wannabees then more and more people will start working for lower and lower pay which in turn will reduce pay further up the scale. i.e. in teh end this guy/girl who is earning half of a BA long-haul captain' will end up being paid a quarter of that same BA guy or else there will be plenty of young people ready to fly and who are used to being paid much smaller amounts of money.
When are people going to stop looking at the small picture and realise that these issues affect everybody INCLUDING those of you earning mega-bucks and flying long-haul. Ever heard of the global economy and Multinational Corporations!!!!!