Originally Posted by HermannGraf

Would not be surprised if this will come in the near future.

Management has to do something to attract pilots and they do not have much to do with how the total amount the company is willing to pay for the crew is divided right now. That will probably change.

It is the union or pilot "representatives" in each companies that puts together a contract that equals in total sum what the company is willing to pay for a crew. That contract is presented to the company that verifies that the total cost match what they are willing to pay and it is then presented to the pilots for a vote. These entities that divide the money and put together these TAs are controlled by senior pilots that (as other have mention here) do not care about the Junior ones at the bottom of the pay scales and that is why there is such a difference between the Captain pay and the FO pay at the regional level and that is why we have such ridiculous low pay for the starting FOs and FOs in general.

There are not many senior Captains at the Regionals that would be willing to share part of what they make at the highest pay scales with the lowest paid FOs living on poverty wages. They just do not care, they are selfish and think that the FOs will eventually benefit from it when they get to that seniority.

The reality of the Regional industry is changed and it does not longer support this tremendous difference between Captain and FO pay. That problem has also created lifers at the Regional level and the Regionals was never a level that would or should support lifers.

The Regional pay scale is based on fast upgrade and this is kept alive by selfish senior people that refuses to share the available sum of pay in a more fair way. Many places have 8-10 year FOs that never had a chance to upgrade. These FOs are Now since the FAA passed the new rules PIC typed in the aircraft, hold ATP, have to sign documents and acars and are hold responsible like a Captain without getting the pay.

The Regional FO position is not a career seat and they are not protected in any way like the FOs in major companies. At the same time some Regional companies have been able to put aside great amounts of cash, buy airplanes, make many stupid mistakes, waste big amounts of money and buy companies. So for management to say that there are no margins to increase the sum they are willing to pay for a crew and pay the pilots better is not the reality of things.

When management can raise their salaries by 60% and the company is able to buy back shares for millions, buy other companies and put huge airplane orders then there is plenty of room to raise the crew pay.