This topic has always bothered me. On the one hand, one should not "violate" the contract primarily because it sets a bad precedent that can be used against the pilot group in future negotiations and in arbitration's. On the other hand, the contract exists to provide a minimum level of pay and working conditions supposeably to benefit the pilot and pilots. If you can benefit by "breaking" the contract why not? I'll give you an example.

Suppose your contract says you must get a seat in the back to dead head. You do not have to sit in the jump seat. Now, one day you are dead heading home and a non-rev friend of yours is trying to get on the flight. If you take the jump seat they can get on. Should you? I mean doesn't that set a bad precedent? If you take the jump seat the company will use it against you in future negotiations right? Baa!

Now for extra credit. In the above situation, what if you give up your seat for your friend and the CSA puts someone else on the jet (their friend for example or a higher priority non-rev) do you have the right to insist on your seat in the back again or insist that if you give it up, you determine who gets the seat? Hmmm. Stew on that one for a while.

I contend the seat is yours to give away. To be honest though, I've never been very successful with that opinion.