Until pilots start insisting on proper terms and conditions, the terms will continue to deteriorate. Sad but true.
Times have changed and pilots haven't adapted. The airlines have!
SENIORITY is now the root of all evil (the golden handcuffs are now iron thanks to airlines adapting).
We need to be free agents allowed to chase big shiny jets, $$$ or lifestyle (live in the location you want or leave at the drop of a hat - 3 months notice or less).
It will then be the airlines responsibility to maintain said shiny jets, $$$ or lifestyle plus the need to maintain SAFETY otherwise training costs and aircraft type courses will be the brunt of airline costs!!!
Forget this Captain FO crap, left seat conversion after xyz hours and the PILOT with the most experience is rostered the left seat with the associated credit ($$ or factoring).
Face it, a pilots timeline basically goes, want a big shiny jet, until you want money and then can afford to choose lifestyle, plus or minus a few caveats (kids, health, divorce, lifestyle, age etc).
Until we drop seniority pilots will undercut pilots, without it airlines would have to fight each other to maintain pilots, make it the airlines problem and not ours!