It doesn't always stop at the regionals. try living in mom's basement eating lasagna with a wife and two kids after being furloughed from a major. Hell i'm earning that $23k/year on unemployment, why go to work to make that.

I would say you're correct in your position. The fact is, regardless of one's viewpoint or perception on their union contract, if you're flying commercially making $44.00/hr, it's 100% totally crap money. Who cares how good your contract is versus another crappy regional. It's like saying, "they get punched in the face twice a day. We only get punched once, so we have it pretty good around here."

Given the choice, I take one punch any day of the millennium. Just saying...

classic argument

With ORD picking up will EWR stay the Junior base (at least that's what it has been from what I've heard), or will that change as well?

I graduated college last May of 2010, and over the last few summers while in College got my licenses from a part 61 guy at my local airport. Cost me about 42k from start to finish, which I got from my Grandpas trust fund. I got a few flying gigs from people my instructor knew starting mid May of this year, I had about 300 hours, I now have 910 TTL, and about 130 ME. I have interviews coming up with AWAC, Eagle, ASA, Commutair, and Great Lakes. I am 22, any advice?

Yes. What ever you do, never mention you had a trust fund.