What the,
But if new start up airline "ABC airways" comes along paying its pilots 10% less than the current average and then your airline tries to negotiate a 4% uplift what are you told? "Nope, can't be done if we are to remain competitive".
The same could be said one year later by the pilots of "ABC airways". They could want the 10% to bring them up to the average plus the 4% the others are asking for.... They only get what they're given at the end of the day.
So although I partly agree with you what you say I believe isn't strictly true.