In aviation terms NS pilots have been overpaid for years in terms of what they do.
HOWEVER in oil industry terms they have been massively underpaid.
This goes back to the benchmarking years back and 'green -eyed monster' that looked at what airline pilots were being paid instead of what an equivalent oil industry worker was getting.
NS pilots work in the oil industry and should have benchmarked to that. They would have earned more over the last few years and now would be taking the cut that the offshore guys are getting now, which would have been reasonable and an easier arguement with management.