Paid as such? That was only ever barely adequate, and during and after covid, became inadequate; it's an increasingly competitive market for experience, and Ryanair in particular is severely light on total experience in the cockpit - totalling about five years airline experience summed between BOTH of them not unusual. But you're right, people just vote in their own narrow interests (or disinterests), even if it ***s other people (a bit like brexit).
Ryanair key competitors; easyJet, jet 2 etc etc do not do carry over of RHS service in bidding rights - ask yourself why!