How smart of an idea was that blended first officer pay rate now?

There are going to be lots of Saab Captains that are going to be forced back to first officers. Guys that have been there over a decade are going to be making $40 per flight hour as first officers on 90 seat jets.

One of the reasons that I left Mesaba six years ago was that I was facing the same problem.... Sit reserve forever as a Saab captain, or make peanuts as a first officer. There is no way a pilot with middling seniority can have a good schedule AND a liveable income.

Of course, when this blended first officer pay rate was agreed upon many pilots in the middle didn't seem to give it much consideration because they assumed that they would soon all be captains forever anyway. Very short-sighted!