Very well written. Unfortunately, I believe it will take people leaving the profession en masse for anybody to make real changes.
For example, I was eating dinner with several non-aviation family members, and all were shocked at the pay. They were shocked that if I changed airlines, I would start at bottom pay. However, whe asked if they would pay $600 round trip to fly from LGA-MCO, they said "oh, god no!". My answer to them was that they really do not care that much, then.
I thought about that afterwards and realized that I was wrong in thinking that way. With the profits that the airlines are making, starting pay for a regional FO could be 80-100k per year and the airlines would still be turning a profit.
The airlines are banking record amounts because the old model of "always be expanding market share" has been abandoned. In other words, I feel that the base problem is that the airlines changed their business models and kept the same old pay scheme.
Personally, I am getting weary of the game. I am seriously considering going back and earning my PhD in a non-aviation field, even though I will be broke and 52 years old when I earn said degree.
How can anyone say things are going well in this country? Anyway... Time to heave a huge sigh and put the monkey suit back on, wondering if this week will be the last straw.