I get it too. If your getting reimbursed then it's not volunteering.
Even flight pay loss can be too high. I mean someone worked years to get to say $90/hr flying. But what makes them worth $90/hr negotiating contracts?
Did they spend an equal amount of time studying to be a negotiator to get to that pay scale? Probably not.
But then I guess I'm going to get a lecture about how ALPA has done is all such a great service.

Still something puzzles me. After all these years. Don't we learn anything?
Eagle/PSA/PDT all get the same f/o bonus offer. Why, why, why doesn't all three MEC's get together in the same room and discuss how to proceed. Why after all these years are Alpa carriers keeping secrets. What great unity.