Not exactly. New-hires are not full union members and don't vote so the union is inherently obligated to look after the full members first. They are going to allocate available negotiating capital to getting money for old hires and let the company pay new hires what it wants.

In fact, in the current environment, the tables are turned...many airlines (especially regionals) WANT to raise first year pay to attract pilots, but the unions don't want to allow the company to give money to new-hires at the expense of the old-hires. The regionals would pay new-hires MORE than old hires if they could get away with it, and some are by way of bonuses, flight-training loan payments, etc.

Also there's a bit of an industry historical precedent that low first-year pay was kind of a pay for training arrangement.

Make no mistake, ANY increase in compensation comes out of the pockets of old hires, who are not happy about it.