I've wondered about this over the past few years.
Firstly, pilots have allowed a vocation to be abused and T's & c's have spiralled downwards, much to the amazement of my friends in other industries on similar salaries. They are aghast.
Secondly, there was a campaign started some years ago called 'fair trade'. It started with Coffee and graduated onto jeans and other clothing. It was highlighted that the farmers were being exploited by the monopolising buying strength of the processors. This plight was made known. The same happened with the sweat shops producing clothing with child labour. Again a campaign had some effect by alerting the public to these abuses. They too responded.
Are the public so stupid to think an airline can make profit selling stupidly cheap tickets? The airlines declare massive profits and no-one asks HOW? Someone and something has to be shaved to make it so. T's & C's have to be a good starting point. Let's have pilots who will pay to fly: let's not have a pay rise for 5 years while our profits go up: let's not employ anyone so we don't have to pay government insurances and pension contributions: let's have no pension fund for the pilots: let's have contractors who are paid on zero hour contracts with all costs for them: let's have the pilots pay for their own licences, uniforms and bi-annual sim checks including accommodation: let's pay new captains a lesser rate than older captains because they now have a new contract: let's transfer pilots to new bases where they don't want to be and on a lower rate contract: let's have pilots on SBY for no pay: let's have contractors who have to take 6 weeks annual holiday for no pay: let's let's.......
Does anyone think there should be 'fair trade' campaign for proper ticket prices so the pilots can have a proper wage? And don't get me started on the woes of the cabin crew. The public are turning a blind eye thinking that these thicket prices can be offered with the same T's & C's as the legacy carriers. I'm amazed that my friends still think the T's & C's of the LoCo's are similar to the majors. They think the low prices are simply due to employing less people, flying 1 type and into small cheap airports: economy of scale and efficient logistics. They have no idea of the lowly package paid to the flight crew and are shocked when they find out.
However, people will always buy the cheapest of luxuries until the wheels come off and then they'll go back to better brands. That time is a long way off unless there is a balance of power in the work place and vocations are no longer abused. The same is true for engineers. The whole team of dedicated aviation specialists are open to abuse.