Candide, you're talking about two completely different issues. Category is a completely different thing when it comes to SLI as compared to whipsaw problems. The whipsaw is a result of mainline pilot lack of foresight in allowing regional feed to be outsourced, beginning over 20 years ago. And I agree with you wholeheartedly that it is a huge problem. My major beef with ALPA right now is that too much focus is being placed on international issues while the regionals are being whipsawed to death, in fact.
But let's say that that problem never surfaced. Let's say that the mainline carriers never allowed regional feed to be outsourced, and all flying stayed "in house." The result for seniority integrations would not be any different. A CRJ would still fall into a different category than a 737 which would fall into a different category than a 767. It's simply a matter of fact in this business that the bigger airframes produce more revenue for the corporation, and pilots get paid more when they produce more revenue. Again, the individual carrier that is on top of the pay heap varies from year to year, but in the aggregate, a 737 will always pay more than a CRJ, and a 747 will always pay more than a 737. That is why arbitrators largely ignore contracts and focus on category and status. They aren't idiots. They know that your CBA will not be industry leading in 10 years, just like it was industry trailing 10 years ago. And 20 years from now it may be industry leading again. It's all cyclical. But seniority, once set, doesn't change. Someone placed junior to you will always be junior to you, no matter what happens to the CBA. That is why CBAs can not be used to determine seniority integrations.
But let's say that that problem never surfaced. Let's say that the mainline carriers never allowed regional feed to be outsourced, and all flying stayed "in house." The result for seniority integrations would not be any different. A CRJ would still fall into a different category than a 737 which would fall into a different category than a 767. It's simply a matter of fact in this business that the bigger airframes produce more revenue for the corporation, and pilots get paid more when they produce more revenue. Again, the individual carrier that is on top of the pay heap varies from year to year, but in the aggregate, a 737 will always pay more than a CRJ, and a 747 will always pay more than a 737. That is why arbitrators largely ignore contracts and focus on category and status. They aren't idiots. They know that your CBA will not be industry leading in 10 years, just like it was industry trailing 10 years ago. And 20 years from now it may be industry leading again. It's all cyclical. But seniority, once set, doesn't change. Someone placed junior to you will always be junior to you, no matter what happens to the CBA. That is why CBAs can not be used to determine seniority integrations.
