Not quite Potatos_69,
Re: junior SH Captains at LHR not getting weekends off for years - everyone is now guaranteed 2 x weekend days off (may be separate) a month (this reduces if you have leave etc. which already give you some weekend downtime that month). This is a big change, essentially promised since 2016 ish (‘JSS will preserve the gradient’ etc.).
Time will tell if this recent change reduces general roster satisfaction a little but the key seems to be how clever/realistic you are at bidding. In the future you will be able to waive the weekends off thing too which should bump up general satisfaction a little again.
Junior with kids means you can also use parental leave (unpaid obviously) to create firebreaks in the roster/get some more weekend time off (alongside the above 2 days). Part-time an option too as touched on.
Agree with many of your other points.
ATB.