MOR - Demotion in what respect?
146 Captains transferring to the 400 would keep their jet salaries, and as far as performance and technology are concerned the 400 is surely a step forward. The 400 will outclimb the 146 most of the time, and at 'normal' operating cruise speeds they're evenly matched, with the 400 having to throttle back to avoid overspeeding, and the 146 driver caning it for all its worth.
Don't get me wrong, I like the 146, and the 400 will never come close to the quality of landings achieveable with that lovely trailing link undercarriage, or last anywhere near as long as the 146s have, but you cannot say that the 400 is a demotion. Those that have transferred so far are enjoying the experience.