Yep. Raising pay is the absolute last thing they'd do. Not that they wouldn't, but it would be after exhausting every other measure, and even then I'm sure a good percentage of the airlines would "take their ball and go home", allowing themselves to be absorbed/merged into other airlines (and then downsized). It's not impossible to get the pay raised mind you, but it takes an effort where one doesn't care about the consequences, RLA effects, etc. Most pilots want ALPA or some other union to do something on their own, without striking, etc. Pilots will never have the leverage (unless they just rise up and take it some day). Kids are still being sold on the idea that you'll only have to spend 1-2 years at a regional and then it's "widebody time!".