I hear a lot about people complaining about how there is undercutting and a desire to progress one's career at any cost. Isn't that the core of capatilism? Isn't it by definition a system based on competition? Competition at any cost? Wall Street is the core of our financial system and there is no greater place of bloodshed outside of war than our financial system. Go for the throat, close the deal, and cash the check. Most people have some kind of stock holdings. Even your basic 401k is a mutual fund of stock, bonds, and securities. The only way to grow money is based on this. Pilots are a labor group. I hear all the time how we should stick together and not let companies do what they do which is try to make money at any cost. Yet, do most people have any idea what stocks there 401k or mutual fund money is invested in? Do they know the companies? The banks and drug companies which are as unethical is it gets but we all hold some kind of stock in them hoping to make some money. What about foreign investment? What about big US companies that have a good portion of their holdings in overseas factories where labor is basically slave. It is terrible when one company suffers for any reason and the labor group has their lives changed for the worse. Pilots are particularly at risk because it is a special skill set that does not transfer well to other vocations. Unless one has a side company or a very well off spouse then they have let their passion for flying become their vocational padded cell. When you add the pros and cons of a seniority system then you increase the risk visibility to a livelyhood. The fact is that in order for some companies to grow and achieve and make for better opportunities for the labor to benefit another company must suffer. Capitalism. The worker of the world unite rhetoric is what they screamed in the 1917 revolution. Socialism/Communism. So, which is it? Which system do we want? Answer... whichever helps ME. That is our true nature. Me-ism. The junior guys complain because their heads are always on the chopping block and the senior guys tell them to be quiet and stop complaining as they hold on to what they have. How many junior people would truly be diffierent in the other's shoes and vice versa. Companies like RAH are a cancer to the industry because they have questionable ethical practices. They worm around scope clauses and they pay bad. If anyone was making tons of money from that company or benefitting in some way would they complain and scream for change? The other RJ pukes hate them because they lose flying and jobs etc because of them but most would work for them if given a chance. Most people work at RJ companies to get to a better job at some kind of branded flying major. They give up good seniority at a bad company for bad seniority at a good company and hope to stay. It is a gamble like buying stock. Capitalism. As Captains on a puke jet they want more flying for better schedules, advancement, and job security once at a major they want to see less flying given to the RJ puke company for better schedules, advancement, and job security. Unions are anti-capitalism. They are idealogically closer to socialism/communism. I am just ranting. Here is a question. How many pilots bought into oil futures during the meteoric rise?