Its not.

You've got nearly a century of past practice and the Railway Labor Act standing between what you and what you desire, and answers (or at least insight) to that which you seek can be found in Ernie Gann's "Fate is the Hunter". If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

I also suggest looking into a career in business aviation, as the "portability" of one's experience and compensation from employer to employer seems like something that might interest you relative to a 'traditional' seniority-driven airline career.

I'll bit, name the other industry that requires a new employer to base there pay to an employee based upon there longevity in the career ?

I just ordered the book. Thanks for that.

I "understand" the history or more to say I recognize that this is the accepted norm, but it is ridiculous and I do not understand the rationale behind it. Just to say, "That's the way its always been" is not good enough. My point being is that if this practice was implemented then it can be unimplemented (not even sure it that's a word).
I just read the RLA (The Railway Labor Act) and it says nothing about experience not counting. The RLA as I understand it is all about arbitration, mediation, and unions. This is not what I am talking about. I am talking about an industry standard that seems to be accepted without question. Why do [/B]we[/B] allow this to happen? I guess that is my question: Why?

Spot on, but the unions would never go for this, ranking employees for there longevity vrs there actual productivity has been a union survival mechanism for over 100 years, guarantees them Union dues, and they really love them dues :)

Doctor
Lawyer
Accountant
CEO
CFO
COO
Any Manager / Supervisor

Let's say you get a DUI. You have 2 lawyers to choose from. Lawyer A finished law school last week and is in the process of hanging his law degree on his wall when you walk in for your consultation. Lawyer B has just opened his new office but has 20 years of experience and a proven record of winning DUI cases. Who do you think you are going to pay more for their services? Do you think you will pay Lawyer B the same as Lawyer A because he is in a new office?

The answer is obviously NO!

Compensation for experience, is far different the compensation for longevity, one gains experience through interaction with there chosen profession, the other gains longevity by just showing up, again your confusing the two, in all your examples show me a business that is required to pay someone a higher wage just for being at job x some x amount of years, the professions you've listed above everyone of them get compensation from a perspective employer because that employer chooses to compensate for there experience, not longevity

Like I said, there is literally no way to fairly judge any pilot based on those metrics.

QUOTE=Aksleddriver;1743773]Compensation for experience, is far different the compensation for longevity, one gains experience through interaction with there chosen profession, the other gains longevity by just showing up, again your confusing the two, in all your examples show me a business that is required to pay someone a higher wage just for being at job x some x amount of years, the professions you've listed above everyone of them get compensation from a perspective employer because that employer chooses to compensate for there experience, not longevity[/QUOTE]

I am not talking about longevity. I AM talking about experience. Not sure what you are missing.
I am not being malicious with this question, but are you a pilot? More specifically, do you fly for an airline?

I'm not sure you understand what "collective bargaining" entails.

I am not talking about longevity. I AM talking about experience. Not sure what you are missing.
I am not being malicious with this question, but are you a pilot? More specifically, do you fly for an airline?[/QUOTE]

Yes