I never thought that there would be immediate hiring as a result of C2012. The increase in staffing was mostly contingent on Delta getting the B717s. That wasn't ever going to happen overnight and it is pure speculation that it would have happened without C2012. Once the contract for the 717s was signed it would take time to bring them on the property.

Staffing for next summer I believe was based on a block hour plan that didn't include the addition of the 717 fleet.

Didn't the last T&G also outline a timeline for increased staffing requirements as a result of C2012? I think it did.

We can all speculate what would have happened absent C2012, but I don't see a plausible scenario where you would have seen growth and upward mobility without C2012 anytime in the near future.

With C2012 the company plans to increase the mainline to 796 airframes in the next 3 years. That's growth, not stagnation and I very much doubt you would have seen a mainline fleet of 796 airframes in 2015 without C2012.

(edit) just changed TA to C2012, because it isn't a TA anymore.