Just to throw in another variable here....
Assuming in the fullness of time that age 65 comes in and the by-pass pay is sorted out to everyones satisfaction:
Is everyone happy that the increments for Capts stop after 17yrs? No, seriously!! Why? After all, hopefully everyone will eventually get there, if they wish to stay on. This means (even when time to command increases), the vast majority will run out of increments before the age 65 limit. That means even longer on frozen pay scales at the top end of your "career" here. Is this acceptable?
Something else to be thrown in the negotiation pot?
Sheko.