I really think wanting to be manpower positive is a thing of the distant past. All US carriers have become low cost carriers and ones that don't stay that way and continue to improve will be cast aside aka Pan Am and Eastern.
The first and best airline to understand this is obviously Southworst. The result? Despite hourly pay rates in the low 200's for Captains their work rules and rigs are so good they can make 300k easily and some make over 400k a year.
Would you rather be "manpower positive", and unemployed, or make 300k+ a year whilst still getting 16-18 days off a month?

And SW has never furloughed.