Is the b717 pay scale from the latest EBA negotiation? It was my understanding that as a FO, you start off as a level 5 (1st year) and that's around the 65k mark (ref from the 2007-2012 EBA). It goes up considerably after a few years in the company.
As an F/O in 2007 you started around there, it's now 2013even prior to the last EBA the level 5 was somewhere around 18% above that. Still not brilliant but certainly not 65 nor do you pay 30+ for an endorsement.