As for pay, I think we pilots should be compensated based on number of seats. Each seat generates revenue, and there is no discount for flying on a turboprop when I have bought tickets. A 36 seat Dash should not pay less than an E135.

Each type of flying, jet and prop, have different demands and hazards. Prop guys do tend to use smaller airports, and fly closer to terrain while stuck in the weather. However prop guys generally have more than 5-7 seconds to manage a rapid depressurization in cruise. Also, prop guys benefit greatly from reverse thrust. jet reverse is practically useless, which makes those longer runways not so long. You may be able to, and have to, kick a prop around more in a stiff wind; in a jet, you have to be very delicate and deliberate with your control inputs. Anyone who has stepped on a jet rudder in the flare knows what I mean. Props want to fly. Jets tend to more unstable and more finicky.

In truth, props and jets require different skills, and different ways of thinking and planning. Having gone from one to the other I can say I respect both and could not rank one as being tougher than the other. So, lets all have a big group hug and go get ourselves paid!

One oversimplified pay formula: 10,000/yr plus $1/hr per seat. (as a first year benchmark...add in some sort of yearly raise)

1900CA ~29000/yr
DashCA ~46000/yr
CRJ/ERJ ~60000/yr
CRJ/170 ~80000/yr
737/320 ~145000/yr
757/321 ~190000/yr

tie FO wages to 60% of captain pay, and you have an equitable and predictable payscale

You get the idea... Sure, it would be nice to make 6 figures as a 50-seat driver, but realistically you need to generate money to make money.