I've written this on another forum, this is all due to pilots being hamstrung by a seniority system that was designed for times when pilots were a valued part of the airline, now they are simply a cost that needs to be reduced and seniority means the airlines can basically reduce pay and conditions to rock bottom as pilots are forced to remain, leaving the airline means you will be competing against possibly P2F.
5, 10, thousands hrs means nothing when crew sacrifice everything to get on a seniority list.
A free market where crew could chase lifestyle, cash or shiny jets as they saw fit over a 40yr career would cost the airlines a fortune and they would pay to stabilise it.
Being a pilot would be completely different to how it is now, and I'm afraid PPrune may not even exist as we'd probably be a happier bunch of individuals that, as I said above moved as required to remain happy or simply remained put as the airline knew they had to offer rewarding pay and lifestyle for retention!
Flame away....