The supply of pilots far outstrips the demand in the UK. For everyone one job going there are hundreds of equally matched qualified applicants. Airline bosses use this as a weapon to reduce terms and conditions and will continue to do so.
The trouble is the young people coming into the industry having been sold the "dream" by CTC or OAA who will basically accept anything that is on offer, even work for free or pay to work all on the basis that it will be stepping stone to something better, unfortunaly nothing better exists. The sad truth is, that at the point at which you leave flight school is the most employable you will ever be. And you will always have to look over your shoulder because there is a never ending stream of people prepared and qualified to do your job for a fraction of the cost.
I have been flying for 10 years, worked for several major UK travel companies and my salary is lower now that it was 10 years ago. I long ago came to the conclusion that this industry will only go in one direction until the flight schools are stopped from flooding the market with fresh young meat.
Why so many people want to get in to this industry frankly baffles me but I would guess articles in the Daily Mail claiming pilots to be the highest paid profession in the UK probably is the main reason. (CTC must have been rubbing their hands together when that was published)