Wicked dude,
First off F/O's don't universally hate DEC's. A minority of DEC's that have come here do deserve every bit of slagging thrown their way, but not the majority. F/O's and Captains alike, hate the DEC POLICY !!
This is why....
It disadvantages all F/O's because it delays upgrades. This in turn affects every aspect of quality of life.
The company policy is to upgrade in this order.... Suitable F/O's, then Accelerated Command types........ then if necessary due a lack of the aforementioned....... DEC's. The company is not following their own, non-debatable, policy.
There is no need for DEC's. In the past 5 years, when this policy has caused so much grief, there has not been one moment when there was not a suitable F/O waiting for upgrade.
The company has further exascerbated the stupid policy by frequently hiring pilots with less experience and might I add, less suitability, than F/O's already at the company.
It has been an exercise in cost savings without concern whatsoever for those it affects negatively.
If the pilot profession was considered a management position, then a company could argue that they should be able to hire any pilot they wish and place him in any position they wish at any time. It would be like a surgeon moving to a different hospital and taking up a position senior and better paying to his new peers, presumably because he was more qualified. The pilot profession is not the same. Seniority is everything in a company, something about which you will learn in short order.
When a company messes with seniority then they are playing with fire. There is little incentive for F/O's to join a company, which results in a potential crisis in recruitment (something we went through), as well as the fact that no longer will the most qualified and most suitable F/O's seek employment with said company.