okay, last time... two points
1. If one is spending 100% of his income and increases his spending with each pay raise, don't expect any sympathy or help from those of us who are living within our means and putting some away for a rainy day.

2. Picking up extra time means the company needs fewer pilots.
Example: Company T has 500 pilots (250 CA and 250 FO). Each flies 70 hours per month. The company loses 10% of its business and needs to cut 50 pilots. 50 FOs get laid off and 25 CAs are rolled back. But unfortunately for the management, they are still losing money. The company starts offering extra time; 200 of the remaining pilots (a bit less than half the folks) pick up 3.5 hours per month. For every 20 of those pilots who pick up the extra time, another pilot can be eliminated (20 X 3.5 = 70). That means those 200 folks picking up extra time eliminate 10 more jobs, and (unfortunately for people like your buddy) FIVE more CA get rolled back to FO.

That is as simple as I can make it. If you still don't get the point, I guess I will go apply to be a street CA at GoJets. (It's good for ME)