Before you think any pilot group today is doing well and especially before entering this profession you need to read both "Flying the Line" and "Flying the Line, Volume II." Then you need to look at how far the profession has fallen since deregulation in 1978. You will have to trust me here but I can prove it if you wish, pilots today earn or have just 60 percent of the purchasing power of a Delta pilot flying 75 hours per month in 1978. And before some one cries about "everyone earns less today" take a look at management compensation and you will find that their purchasing power has increased 5 fold. Yep it may look good compared to military pay but think about this, when I compare what I made as an O-3 in 1978 with today's military pay I find that pay rates have exceeded inflation and that there is deservedly an increase in purchasing power for military members today. As long as the pilots willing accept the ineptitude of their labor representation, they are doomed to continue in the death spiral as the vote here and at AA confirm.