Flying pay is not an element for recruitment and retention, it is the total pay that does that. I have said for a long time that all aircrew should be paid according to a different pay scale so we can get away from these 'my-basic-is-not-as-good-as-his-and-he-is-a-blunty' arguments.
Agree that all this down-banding stuff is barking as it suggests a loss of status and affects self-value and morale. I am agreeing with the thread, honest, just not the justification....