The regional business model is pretty transparent by now.

1. Underbid the other guy, so that you have the tiniest of margins.
2. Go to your pilots and say you can't make money, so cuts must be made.
3. Get concessions
4. Make cuts to staffing by firing the qualified and experienced and replace with the unqualified and experienced at lower pay
5. See step 2.
6. Furlough
7. Bankruptcy
8. Start new airline
9. See step 1.

pilots are viewed as a commodity or stock. Buy low, sell high.

The only way to stop this, is don't allow yourself to be commoditized by chasing ephemeral promises of upgrade.