maxprop
If a company decides to replace a fleet, it is their problem- the cost of retraining the crews is simply part of the considerable financial outlay involved in that decision. It is, in fact, the cost of doing business and should never be passed on to crews. Even worse is the fact that when the a company acquires new aircraft, it invariably receives free conversions for the first set of crews- and yet the crews still get bonded for training that was essentially free to the company. I would be extremely surprised if the Q400 deal did not include training in this manner, as I am sure it did for the CRJ. And yet you want to re-bond the crews. Talk about morally bankrupt.
Most of the crews who will transfer to other types, and require retraining, do not want to do so. In most cases they have no choice, as the alternative is to leave and that is clearly not an option for all but the independently wealthy. So, naturally they will look around for something else- after all, you are handing them something they didn't sign up for. Your response is to chain them to the company with a bond.
This whole practice is despicable, and it is about time BALPA got into it.
It is also unsafe, as it causes enormous amounts of stress to the pilots who are affected by it.
For everbody else, the reason companies like flybe do this sort of thing, is because they can. Nobody challenges it, and the union is too weak-kneed to take a stand. Legal or not under Euro law, it will continue until action is taken.
BTW ALTSEL, exactly how can the 146 drivers support you? Plenty of us have been shafted by the company in a similar way to what is happening to you....