Honestly, this is partially ALPA's fault.

Ask the average joe if he things assembly line workers at the Chrysler plant make enough money. I bet that average joe will say no. The UAW is absolutely spectacular at managing perception. Those line workers make a TON for the job they do, but any time they picket, they are out there in their flannel shirts explaining how awful management is and how poor they are.

ALPA is absolutely terrible at managing perception. If I were ALPA, I'd have posters up all over airports with a picture of a regional guy eating ramen or any of the other billion REAL images that could be posted to make people understand that their pilots are overworked, underpaid, probably tired, and most likely malnourished.