Deuce, I've only been with UA a year, but I've been an airline pilot for 17 years, so this isn't my first rodeo. Decisions like this are not made lightly (in spite of what some on here might say or think), because they are expensive, time-consuming, and a logistical nightmare. And did I mention, it's also expensive? In fact, this is an airline, and at some point, it will get messed up. Some of that will be the fault of the company in some form or fashion (scheduling things too tightly or trying to "guess" what the pilots will do) and some won't be (one guy getting sick or having a family emergency can wreak havoc on a sim schedule for months).

These seismic shifts are rare, and in this case, apparently quite necessary due to the disparity in the pilot groups, fleets, block hours, and the distribution of flying. Once it's sorted, things will be much more predictable going forward. It might take 2 years (or more), but it will eventually get there.

My advice: just jump in, have fun...don't buy a house in a domicile anytime soon!