A squared
Would you agree that there will always be a disparity in income levels across various airlines and within various different markets?
Increasing salary levels at an airline may solve that particular airlines crewing problem but such a measure will not increase the number of pilots within the industry in the short to medium term. It simply moves the shortage from one airline to another.
“Again, the FED-EXes of the world don't have this problem. The terms they offer attract plenty of applicants with substantial large jet command time, for *FO* positions”
Yep, they do. And that experience comes from another airline, thus moving the crewing problem from Fedex to the airline they employ from.