It was absolutely to counter balance the lower pay rate, with just enough regular, incremental increases, to keep us from "rioting". We were under no illusions about that.....

Most of these provisions were in place from day one and there were tweaks and additions as we the pilots agitated for improvements.

Management did string us along, and they played us beautifully. That is why we had our first union drive (VAPA) only 2 or 3 years after we started up, as I recall.