16024,
Yes it would. While your suggestion that new guys will drive up T&C's is to be applauded, any better terms will not be implemented across the board. Look at the new cadets who come via brookfield at the moment, on less salary.
Bringing in DE pilots is what blocks the bases people want. I was told of a very plausible story of a guy from a UK base that got his command and was sent away to MAD or somewhere, even though there was a vacancy at his home base. The reason he didn't get it was cited as "Well, sorry, but it's been promised to a DEC coming from bmibaby".
When Ryanair has a more transparent basing policy and a list we can SEE that shows when we might get what base we want, i'm sure FO's will start to raise their hands to command again. As it stands, a ballpark figure of 2 years to get back to your family while you toil on 5/3 on the other side of Europe is not really good enough from an operator that has over 250 aircraft.