When Qantas New Zealand went belly up the pilots at the feeder TPC got nothing from the New Zealand union. The first correspondence was:
Your membership fee is due!
"Can't pay, got no job"
Your membership will be terminated then!
Look at the introduction of the 747-400 to New Zealand. Pilot demands saw the aircraft go to HongKong and the union divided. Look at why Air Nelson and Eagle exisit. Air New Zealand pilots wanted to fly everything going - to the point where each new pilot cost a fortune as every pilot went up the ladder and on to a new type. I know people who were on type rating courses and didn't even get to finish them before being put on another. I won't even go near the Australian 1989 fiasco. These unions exist to protect the top people and their conditions and it seems with little thought to the company or its performance.