This sounds not dissimilar to the situation faced all the time by universities with computer software and business admin programs. Faculty are paid far less than their markeplace value, yet they stay for other reasons. Faculty members can certainly get jobs in the industry they train their students for, but make personal decisions and sacrifices. (Less stress, etc.) In this case, cannot the group request to drop their current union certification and request to join the controllers union?

One thing I never understood about the whole air traffic controllers situation in the US: after Reagan fired everyone, where did the new workers come from, and how come the system didn't collapse? Don't take me the wrong way: I disagree with what Reagan did, but...