It would take more than an extraordinary leader. It would take an extraordinary membership. Unfortunately, ALPA doesn't have one. In fact, it's not even a union in the true sense of the word. I say that because it's members (and I'm one of them) are notoriously self-serving when it comes to labor matters.

I agree that the idea of a National wage scale has merit. But to implement that, you'd almost have to have a national seniority list. That is something that NO responsible CEO is going to have forced down his throat. What you would likely see are failing or poorly-performing airlines being broken up and sold piecemeal, with routes, gates, and equipment being transferred to non-union startups.

Almost EVERY cost associated with running an airline becomes negotiable when that airlines existence is being threatened by falling revenue and/or profits. Aircraft leases are renegotiated, delivery dates forestalled, fuel and airport taxes are abated, and wages and working conditions are re-written for both union and non-union employees. In order for a National seniority list to have any teeth, you'd have to have pilots who are so rabidly committed to that ideal that they'd rather see their airline disappear from the face of the earth, than to take a 10% pay cut. And that's not gonna happen...

They say that the airline business runs on about a 7-year cycle. What constitutes a "lucrative professional career" runs on about a 10-15 year cycle. In the mid-late 50's, a newly-minted engineer could name his price on the job market. But by the time the first Apollo missions were being flown, many engineers were lucky to be driving ice-cream trucks. The same cycle applies to pilots. In the mid-late 60's, guys (and ONLY guys) were being hired into legacy cockpits with 200 hrs and a commercial liicense. Ten years later, the job market was awash with pilots, while engineering was again a great business to be in.

Hang tough. In another couple of years, this'll be a cool job to have again...