Right. Strikes and job actions only have teeth if the recipient organization can be forced into a captive relationship. If they have the authority to shift contracts around, or replace you with scabs, then obviously you have less leverage.
It's different for an IPA pilot than the RJ pilot because replacing us all would be legally and financially challenging for UPS. They don't have the same kind of "shell game" Scope authority to pit one group against another.
This. People can kick and scream all they want about it but what can you really do? Deny jumpseats? All that does is screw other commuters over and you can bet that will be remembered if you ever try to move over to United. Slow the airline down and burn more fuel/ruin on time performance? Every contract has some kind of performance incentive and can easily be terminated.
The options are pay the fee or stay home. All one can do is hope that they don't switch to the Delta style system where if there is a seat in the back you still have to pay even if you are jumpseating(at DL it is a yearly fee.... for now). Just one of the many reasons to keep those resumes updated. Again there is no leverage at the regional level. There was a blood bath amongst the DL regionals and it looks the same for united(overall reduction of airframes).