Seniority is bidding power, and longevity is buying power. Any airline that has had a merger that used anything besides category/status and or furloughs has this.

Guys that bypass furlough will enjoy better biding power with their seniority that they keep, but may have less longevity than a guy below them, so they get paid at a lower hourly rate for the same work. That is not the hurdle.

*Not supporting this type of system, but pointing out a fact.