Original Message

"I started in EMS in 1995 with AMC.  It was a single pilot IFR company.  You had to have a 4 year degree, you couldn't smoke, you needed to have a minimum of 3000 hours, and you had to pass an iFR check ride every 6 months. "

You needed that because that was the discriminator used when there were too many pilots (supply) for the need (demand).

Unions didn't change that fact.   When the supply of pilots became less and less, pay and benefits started going up and up.

Same was (is) true in the fixed-wing side.

When I joined the military, I needed 20/20 vision, high ASFAB scores, and a good work ethic; and the pay was pittiful then too.