Fair enough QNIM.
I have had my ups and downs with various unions in various industries, and as you say, the results have sometimes been unpredictable (on strike for 2 months prompted by the number of flavours of icecream in the mess hall????).
While, on the whole, unions haven't done much for me personally when I've needed their help, they have helped the industries I've worked in by defining better award conditions, and putting pressure on the powers that be to ensure fair treatment of staff.
I think their strength lies in their ability to "lobby".
I believe GA needs just such a lobby group, not necessarily a union, but a group which represents the broader needs of the industry as a whole - excuse my ignorance, but is AOPA doing anything to help?
I also believe that to get the best for the pilots, the operators need to be represented as well.
I think an "us vs. them" mentallity can sometimes be counterproductive. Lets face it, without the operators, there wouldn't be many jobs for pilots. So it's important to think of the industry on the whole. The problems outlined in these posts have been caused by both slinky pilots, and dodgey operators.
Ghost_Who_Walks : If AFAP is the only organisation who can help, where are they now? Has anybody from GA contacted them, or have they contacted anybody from GA? Would they be interested in taking an interest? A post from someone with ties to AFAP might be worth reading.
nike : Not a bad idea. Sounds much like the AMA for doctors, and countless other societies and associations for professionals. Might be a step in the right direction. Once again, wouldn't AOPA do this kind of thing?
getmeoutofga : Good luck with the uni thing. I always wanted to be a pilot, but for one reason or another I wasn't. I tried many other things, and have had some great jobs, interesting times, world travel, and good money. Overriding everything though, was my love of aviation. It was something I couldn't get out of my system, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. The end result : I'm giving away the good pay, swapping it for an industry with dubious prospects. I know I'm making the right choice, as I've tried every other bl@@dy thing out there, and could never feel quite as good as I do when I'm in a cockpit. I hope you're making the right decision.