The problem with a national seniority list is that it spreads risk.

A pilot is now free to make a risky move with their career (such as going to a startup)... and if it doesn't play out, everyone pays as that pilot can now jump ahead of you on the seniority list of your carrier. We don't need a national seniority list... it wouldn't work and its impossible anyways.

What we need is the following:

- Close the QOL, benefit, and pay gap between a newhire and a topped-out pilot. Being a newhire should be a livable position (financially). Yes, there should be reward for staying at a company, but nothing like the vast differences there are today between the two ends of the seniority list.

- Separate pilot groups into more than one "interviewable" position. ie: Make it so that captains are a different seniority list from first officers and that you have to interview for that captain spot. Sure, it doesn't seem like a good idea at first since you'd have to interview for that 4th stripe, but everyone else would have to also. Allow different requirements for pilots already at the company versus pilots coming from the outside. This is how it works in the real world... you can go to another company and interview for a position of your level of experience. That means that when an airline goes under or furloughs happen, the experienced pilots will have a shot at other airlines of obtaining a job similar to what they had before.