D&F
I have a lot of sympathy with what you say, but unfortunately the reality is that when you say:
It should not be unreasonable to expect a level playing field in a company, we are not talking about a foot ware company with zero hour contracts, this is a huge and profitable organisation.
It would appear that is no longer the case more and more.The worlds most iconic and profitable foot ware company (tick) aren't putting those expensive trainers together in Oregon, they are using factories in South East Asia that don't appear to be given great prominence on their corporate website. Similarly, those expensive (fruit logoed) communicators of universal desire, don't appear to be assembled in the colourful corporate palaces depicted in California.
Companies these days are driven by "cost" and that is what we are. Their idea of a level playing field is to level that playing field with the cheapest "cost" base to be found in their competitive neighbourhood. Neither can they rest there. In order to find an advantage, the necessity is to undercut the competition. Obviously the laws of supply and demand won't permit that if there is a labour shortage, but of course the reality is that there is no shortage at all in all but a few highly selective markets.
The cadet pilot doesn't remain a cadet pilot. End of year 1 (1000 hours).....year 2 (1800 hours).....year 3 (2700 hours)..... year 4 (3500 hours)..... and now they are in command territory! Either that, or 12 months previously they packed their bags for the sandpit.
As for pensions? There is a pot of coffee few people have woken up to smell. For todays young cadet in their early twenties maximising their pension savings and life time allowances, they are looking a potential top tier (for them and their partner) of little more than £3000 per Month in todays money. For those people that think "well that doesn't sound too bad" start now! Because those figure fall sharply if you put off saving early and probably well in excess of 10 % of your net earnings, and on the assumption that your employer contributes at least as much.
Of course this isn't simply commercial aviation, it is nearly all businesses. When I look at my kids on zero hour contracts, falling wages, or on wages that will never buy a house anywhere South of Lincolnshire, or unemployed. It is ugly, and I worry that is only going to get uglier!