"The pie is only so big" they say...unless you are C-level management, then they simply bake more pie.

Conveniently overlooked by the author (an aviation industry consultant) is the basic economic reality that major airlines have squeezed the margins of their regional capacity lift partners, so that even IF the regional partners wanted to increase pilot compensation as a way to increase recruiting/retention in accordance with Econ 101 theory...they simply cannot afford to as the mainline isn't going to increase the partner's fee in order for the partner to hire and retain their pilot workforce.