Fair enough. But they can offer you / us a ridiculous concessionary contract and when the pilot group says go f*&k yourself, they say OK. We'll give it to somebody else. Obviously, the regional industry is not in control of who the flying is "gifted" to. The unions are impotent not because there are not good people trying to do good things, but because the management group that is actually in charge is the group doling out the contracts, the Majors.
If you look at the flying AA just gave to Compass, it has to do with the fact that Compass is cheap. They do not have pilots on their rosters with 20 years of seniority. Compass's payscale is actually pretty good, but no lifers as of yet.

I do not know what the solution is to the never ending regional airline pay disparity and the ass raping we all take, but until we (Regional guys/gals) sound off with one voice there will be no improvement.