Yeah, I got the same impression. I agree with what Bzzt says, too.

My question remains; why *must* RJ pilots make one third or one fourth that of their mainline partners? Using min guarantee and round numbers, a 76 seat RJ FO makes about 40k a year, but a 717 FO makes about 110k a year (and we all know who has better benefits.). I realize that pay won't be exactly the same given aircraft size, but that pay gap is enormous.

How is it that the RJ pilots are the ones breaking the bank of their mainline partners? That is to say, why are even small pay raises so unthinkable? Especially since poor pay rates are killing off future generations of pilots, and even the media is saying, "Hey, its about the money, ya rocket scientists!"