Wow, I've been preaching this same stuff over and over in other threads (even started my own last month).
I'm on board with Aluminium shuffler for the most part.
Maybe part of my own mistake was equating the pilots' labor unions with the seniority system. It seems they go hand in hand but there's no reason you can't abolish the seniority system and retain the labor union.
I feel that with the seniority system in place the union has been more useful to the management than the pilots anyway so what's the point?
I feel the end result of this system is that the airlines will be unlikely to hire experienced professional pilots when they need to expand and will instead hire younger and usually less experienced pilots simply because they have time to wait around in the right seat building total flight time before upgrading. It's unlikely an experienced Captain in a not so great job but earning a solid six figure salary is going to jump ship to start at the bottom of someone else's list.
When you take away the seniority system you will take away a lot of the imbalance of pay scales too and once a captain you will likely be able to always work as a captain. You would find that there is not much difference in the pay of a captain of a regional jet compared to a heavy.
You would also find better working conditions at the regional level....let me explain this one.... The main reason we even have regional airlines today in the US is because the major airlines know they can keep the pay scales lower with separate seniority lists. Otherwise the majors would just operate those regional jets on the same certificates as the big jets. If you want to change positions within the company ... i.e. go from a RJ to a Boeing or even vice versa (home more nights maybe in the RJ) ... you would apply for the opening within your own company or some other company and compete for the job.
Of course the regional jet manufactures won't like this because it may increase the operating costs of their planes... or maybe not because if you had a decent salary flying an RJ and a good schedule and home most nights... maybe you don't want to go fly a heavy on long haul. If money was no issue... that would greatly reduce turnover and training costs in the regional jets.... improve operating efficiency with experienced pilots staying in the plane...more money for salary... see?
Just purging my thoughts... I just think there is a better way.