I totally disagree with the merit based system. Your solution sounds good on paper, but you won't think so when FOM (Friends of Mgt) suddenly get top ratings! It's like the military where most line IPs have more time than the wing king because you don't get promoted by doing your primary job!!! I've worked in non flying job post mil and prior to airlines and it was the same thing, FOM's got promotion and pay raises while those that did the work were passed by with a cost of living raise.

maybe synical but often true.