Newty, you lose credibility with sentences like that. Things have been better, but in the grand scheme of life, do you really think you can call what we do suffering? This attitude is symptomatic of American entitlement and from everything I've read from you, I think you're better than that.

We are akin to labor, you should've known that getting in, if you didn't then you didn't do your research. Either find a new career, do something productive within our industry, or stop whining.

My take on SkyWest:
SkyWest was better than most regionals, now we're another big corporation with work rules on par with other good regionals (Eagle, XJT, ASA, AWAC, et al) Now, by definition anybody getting in should understand what it means to be a "regional" pilot:
-Expect to be away from home a lot, this shouldn't even need to be a disclaimer, but I'm continually surprised at how many pilots whine about being away from home.
-Upgrade could be next year or never, you are taking a gamble at any airline, nobody is a safe bet.
-Same goes for reserve, you could hold a line out of class or oil could go through the roof and you'll be on reserve for 3+ years. Again, just the nature of our business.
-FO pay supports a single person well, a couple is a stretch and a family is unrealistic. This industry's pay is based on paying your dues, always has been. If you're 28 (or young and with family already) and looking to get in, realize that its gonna take a lot of sacrifice.
-You are a highly skilled, albeit expendable, tradesmen. There are quite a few implications here. Think about them.
-Airlines are corporations and behave as such. Do not expect behavior any different than you'd get from the multitudes of other large US corporations. They aren't benevolent and they aren't malicious, they're simply CFO-run, bottom-line oriented.

Take it for what its worth. I love my job, but I'm here because I like airplanes and the lifestyle. If you're not passionate about aviation or you're a homebody, this business is probably not for you.