Nope, no joke at all. No regional ALPA MEC can tell ANY other airline MEC what to negotiate for. Each MEC is an independent union, especially when it comes to what they negotiate for. Mainline MECs negotiate with mainline management on the scope of their job. Once that is settled mainline management puts out an RFPS for whatever flying the mainline MEC was unable or unwilling to scope in. The lowest regional bidder wins. Then the regional management negotiates with regional MECs on the pay an work rules for those scraps. There is never a time where regional management or regional MECs have any say in operating bigger or more aircraft. It has already been decided between mainline management and mainline MEC. Also, at no time does any mainline MEC or regional MEC tell any other MEC what to negotiate for. And if they did, they would be laughed out of the room. The regionals exist ONLY because mainline MECs cannot or will not scope that flying. It's their flying to keep or give away. They are the ones who let us regionals exist. Therefore, no conflict of interest whatsoever.