Interesting SMOC. The current EBA at Voz has gone from merit based promotion to a common datal system with Virgin Blue. This means that the Senior FOs will probably not see a B777 command. Instead, they are all now datally aligned within a common group.
However, the company knows that many SFOs have the experience and ability to easily get a job elsewhere. Most have had previous jet commands and could be tempted by a direct entry position in another company (ie the LLC that SQ plan to start with B777s). The result has been that current SFOs will get command by-pass pay after 5 years under the new EBA. Their salary also went up by about $22k.
Here is an example of a salary incentive brought on by management (it wasn't AFAP or VIPA behind this) in an attempt to retain staff. The lure of command pay, if not a command, will probably not ensure that all SFOs stay, but goes a long way to retain existing staff. This could only happen in an industrial environment where people have the scope to move on into other positions and not have to start at the bottom each time.