Just for giggles I've been invited to interview at a place which had just started operations in 1983 in the same city and region where I was flying that same year, both in the same general type of airplanes. At the time this company was thought of as good or maybe better than where I worked. Now, 30 years later, my old company is not around but the "new" one still is. When adjusted for inflation this company pays 61% less than what I made at the time. And may have substantially less benefits. The planes are more sophisticated now too. So there you go, progress in America!