Yes interesting this one too.
There is an easy way to resolve all these issues, however what we thought was becoming our strength has become our weakness.
I do in many ways blame the EU for this too, they allowed an expansion of free movement of labour, prior to "new and poorer" countries had reach the required economical level, to be competing on a level playing field.
This link tells you everything:
List of sovereign states in Europe by GNI (PPP) per capita - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Use Ireland or UK as examples, it was around £36.000 - 37.000 the GDP, compare this with all the countries within the EU / Schengen and EEA, there is a major difference between North West vs South and North West vs East!
This creates a East - West surge, which benefits companies, as now we have increased the legal work force to include people from very low income countries, who will put pressure on reducing existing conditions both with regards to monetary rewards and TC's working conditions.
We have spent decades to create improved working conditions in the west, that was not influenced by Stalin or Franco - only to now have it reduced to rubble, because it has become a paradise for companies who want to employ cheap labour.
Now don't get this post wrong, however I do believe that much of the reason for this increased degradation of the profession, is because companies know with all the supply of pilots, from various backgrounds in Europe, it will be impossible for them to unite.
Example a RyR pilot from Poland or Romania, will be making much more than expected compared to their GNP, he is much less likely to want to unite with others, as he might be fairly happy with his conditions, compared to the alternatives he might otherwise have.
It is divide and conquer, mix it up enough, to make sure the work force will never be able to agree to unite.
You have to ask questions, if the EU lobbyists was working for corporations or for the good of the people, when they allowed such fast expansion of the EU, as it coming clear in many countries, that people are not happy with the current direction the EU is taking.
Such expansion should only have been allowed, when the margins of the GNP and social conditions in the countries would have become comparatively equal, upwards, instead of the current trend, where the wealthier countries are being dragged downwards, back in time, only to benefit corporations who wants to reduce their work force costs and increase their profits.
People worked hard for decades to build up a good social economic structure, pensions, health-care etc., only for it now to be torn completely apart by greedy companies looking at every loop-hole to exploit people.
If EU wanted to model themselves on the USA, I would have not had a problem, because in the USA, if you work in Florida, Texas or or some other state, you will more or less make the same money for the same job.
If you are working within the EU, there should be minimal differences on pay etc., and not like today, where you can make double or trippel your local pay, just be going to another country within the EU.
Ryanair are one of many companies in the EU, who have taken advantage of this. This is the main reason the EU and Euro is not working - the catch 22 for the companies here is, that the middle class of West Europe is decreasing, less people with money to buy products, less purchase power, and eventually it will come as a sting in the tail for many companies!
Cheap, Cheap and Cheap is good, but nothing is for free, sooner or later something has to give!
Within the EU, you have some countries giving kids pilot education for free, while others spend £100.000 or more! How can you be able to compete on a level playing field with those kind of differences?