Let me rephrase....it's not the unions keeping pilots down...the unions are a tool by the airlines to keep pilot pay down. The system in place was originally designed to organize and protect pilots but it has evolved into a system to control and reduce pay scales.

Trust me in the fact that management is not scared of the power of unions, they are terrified that the unions and seniority systems may go away and force hiring and pay scales in an open free market.

If a senior captain at any airline were able to sell his or her skills and experience in a totally free market, the airlines would suddenly be forced to pay market value for those services. As it is now, they have you by the bal....I mean seniority number and they know it. You can't quit and go work for the competition and they know it.