Emma,

I can tell you with certainty that RAH management will not hesitate to pull the plug on probationary employees if a strike is called, and it would not surprise me in the least to see them use the threat of going after probationary employees' training contracts as leverage against the pilot group. I do not know the language that the company is using in the most recent version of the training contract, and as others have said, it is highly unlikely that the contract could be enforced if you are involuntarily separated. However, I don't think it's illegal for the company to threaten to enforce the training contract, and RAH could use this sort of threat to try and keep a few airplanes in the air.

As for 9/11 and the subsequent dismissal of 125 pilots out of seniority, the company did not attempt to enforce the training contracts. It is relevant to note, however, that the elimination of Saab flying was planned long before 9/11 ever happened, and therefore the firings that took place were part of a calculated effort to grow the company and not necessary to save Chautauqua, as Bedford continues to claim. These are the sort of tactics the company have used and will use in order to advance its interests.

As others (including, yes, Bolo) have rightly said, stay clear of here until the dust settles.